With exit polls suggesting that the Lok Sabha elections may throw up a hung House, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Laloo Prasad Yadav today sent a feeler to BSP leader Mayawati for her possible support to an alternative, Congress-led ‘‘secular’’ front. By launching another vitriolic attack today against their common pet hate, Samajwadi Party president and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, Laloo is out to kill two birds with one stone: ensure an alternative to an ‘‘unpredictable’’ Mulayam in the event of a hung Parliament and consolidate a drifting and unsure Muslim vote firmly behind a ‘secular’ non-SP force, namely Congress, in the next two election phases in Uttar Pradesh and other key states. Campaign speeches on Wednesday showed a subtle shift in theme: alignments • Remember stability? Vajpayee’s question ‘‘There is no dearth of PMs. Question not of forming govt but to provide political stability.’’ Sonia doesn’t like small parties ‘‘Teach a lesson to small outfits, support Cong to prevent BJP from returning.’’ Maya snubs BJP, prods Cong ‘‘No question of aligning with BJP. Not aligning with Cong because it’s not withdrawing support to SP in UP’’ Doors open: George ‘‘Our doors always open (for old allies). Doors should always be open in politics.’’ Cryptic ex-PM Chandra Shekhar: Third person (becoming PM) is not a third force.don’t think Mulayam will back NDA Surjeet replays old tape Urging ‘‘secular forces’’ to close ranks, he said: “Cong alone can’t carry on the fight.” In the event of a hung Parliament, Mayawati’s MPs will play a crucial role in government formation at the Centre, and she will have to decide which side she would like to be on — the NDA or a ‘secular’ front. By eliminating the prospects of Mulayam Singh Yadav being in the alternative front, Laloo is making the decision easy for Mayawati. RJD spokesman in Delhi and Rajya Sabha MP Prem Gupta says the only reason Laloo attacked Mulayam is because he is ‘‘100 per cent sure Mulayam will not support or join the anti-BJP NDA front.’’ ‘‘Laloo attacked Mulayam at an election rally where the latter had put up a candidate against the RJD. We have consistently exposed how Mulayam has always sided with the BJP, even recently when he downplayed the sari stampede in the PM’s constituency in Lucknow,’’ Gupta said. Gupta, however, refused to comment on whether Laloo was actively wooing Mayawati. Instead, he said: ‘‘The RJD was the first to propose Sonia Gandhi as Prime Minister and we still stand by it. We do not know as yet what the outcome of the elections will be, but we are also working actively to forge a secular, non-BJP NDA alliance and everyone is welcome to join in.’’
