The much-trumpeted 11-party third front has collapsed completely. After the AIADMK decided to go it alone in Tamil Nadu last week, key constituents Samajwadi Party, JD(U) and Left parties have decided to contest the elections on their own in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states. If at all such a front materialises, it could only be after the election results are out on May 16.
In UP, differences arose between the SP and the CPI and CPM over seat sharing, with SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav rigidly stating that his party would contest 78 of the 80 seats in UP.
Although there was no official declaration from the front leaders on Monday, UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said, “We will discuss formation of the third front government at the Centre after the Lok Sabha elections.”
The decision was taken at the front meeting in New Delhi on Sunday, CPI state secretary Girish told HT late on Sunday night. “It was decided that rather than a pre-poll alliance, the members of the third front will join hands after the elections.”
The proposed joint rally of the 11 non-Congress, non-BJP parties, which was to be held in Bangalore, was called off recently.
Uttar Pradesh JD(U) secretary Subhash Pathak said, “A formula for seat-sharing in UP between the members of the third front was not a success as the SP leaders were adamant about fielding candidates on all seats.”
{{/usCountry}}Uttar Pradesh JD(U) secretary Subhash Pathak said, “A formula for seat-sharing in UP between the members of the third front was not a success as the SP leaders were adamant about fielding candidates on all seats.”
{{/usCountry}}“In Bihar, chief minister Nitish Kumar has offered two seats to the CPI but in UP, the members of the third front will be locking horns in more than 24 Lok Sabha seats,” he said.
The CPI central executive committee has decided to field candidates for eight Lok Sabha seats -- Ghosi, Bareilly, Banda, Machhlishahar, Robertsganj, Muzaffarnagar, Gonda and Lakhimpur Kheri. The CPM will field candidates in Varanasi and Moradabad.
Addressing the JD(U) state executive committee in Lucknow on March 5, the party’s national president, Sharad Yadav, told state leaders not to have much expectations from the third front. Party leaders were asked to prepare for the Lok Sabha elections and highlight the failures of the SP government.
In Kerala, after decades of being an unwavering constituent of the four-party Left Front, the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) left the CPM-led front to join the Congress-led United Democratic Front on Monday.