Non-BJP, non-Cong parties vow to throw out Vajpayee Govt

NEW DELHI, Feb 20: In the first serious attempt at regrouping themselves into a new "third front", leaders of non-Congress, non...

NEW DELHI, Feb 20: In the first serious attempt at regrouping themselves into a new "third front", leaders of non-Congress, non-BJP parties today vowed to throw out the "communal" Vajpayee government.

Sharing the platform at the Left-sponsored People’s Convention against Communalism were leaders of the constituents of the erstwhile United Front, many of whom were arch rivals not very long ago.

The star attractions at the meet were Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Laloo Prasad Yadav and his Samajwadi Party counterpart Mulayam Singh Yadav. Despite the vehement opposition to Laloo by their Bihar units and a section of the Janata Dal, the CPI(M) and the CPI had extended him an invitation.

The meet was also significant for the reason that former prime minister and JD leader H D Deve Gowda shared the platform with his one-time bitter enemy Laloo. Gowda, in his speech, made friendly noises towards Laloo and Mulayam, saying his party was prepared to extend all cooperation in any move to throw out the BJP-ledgovernment. Gowda began by admitting that it was only the Yadav duo along with the Left which was persistently calling for united action to dislodge the Vajpayee government. "We have our differences but the benefit of individuals and parties should not be our concern. The strength of the present government comes from the differences among us," he said. The time had come for the secular forces to chalk out a concrete programme to oust the BJP-led government, he added. Speaking earlier, Mulayam also spoke in the same vein saying, "We should be prepared to make sacrifices if we have to combat communalism." He said, "We are in a hurry; we don’t want BJP in power for a day more."

Given the controversy surrounding the invitation extended to him for the meet, Laloo refrained from making any points on the proposed third front. He limited himself to attacking the BJP government for the decision to impose Central rule in Bihar.

Gowda, in his speech, even went to the extent of saying that he was speaking on theJanata Dal’s behalf. This could ruffle some feathers in the party with not everyone sharing his views. Though party chief Sharad Yadav had been invited to the convention at the last-minute, he kept away. He, along with Ram Vilas Paswan, have been at the forefront of the campaign against Laloo in Bihar.

In a chat with The Indian Express, Paswan noted that Laloo was an untouchable for the Left parties only six months ago but today they had compromised with the RJD chief’s corruption.