Now, SJM joins cause with Cong-Left alliance

Rao’s view runs counter to the conclusion drawn by former deputy PM L.K. Advani that the poll outcome was an ‘‘aggregate of state verdicts’’.

RSS spokesman Ram Madhav, when contacted, told The Indian Express that being unaware of what exactly Rao had stated, he was not in a position to comment.

However, sources in the Sangh were as much surprised by Rao’s liberal praise for CMP as by the promptness with which Rao had hailed it. They said it was true that the SJM was at loggerheads with the A.B. Vajpayee Government over economic liberalisation, but Rao had taken CMP at face value. ‘‘We wish, he had at least waited for a few months and seen the new regime implement some of its key promises,’’ they added.

Rao said he welcomed the new government and hoped that PM Manmohan Singh would honour his promise about constructing a ‘‘new and unique framework where agriculture, SSI, unorganised sector and generating employment become central along with economic growth.’’ He said the CMP appeared to ‘‘disseminate the message that the Government is serious about the welfare of farmers, artisans, workers and weaker sections of the society.’’

Rao said people had ‘‘entrusted the Left Front with greater responsibility’’ by electing their highest-ever number of MPs. Since the UPA government was running with Left support, ‘‘we hope the Left Front will demonstrate the maturity and seriousness in defending the core national interest.’’

Rao sought to lump all Finance ministers — Manmohan Singh, P. Chidamabaram and Yashwant Sinha (forgetting Jaswant Singh) — together, saying their defeats reflected the rejection of ‘‘IMF-World Bank framework’’ of reformation of economy. He said the rout of the Chandrababu Naidu and S.M. Krishna governments was an ‘‘emphatic rejection’’ of their economic policy.