Mulayam bid to form non-UPA, non-NDA front
After watching the continued parliamentary logjam from the sidelines, Samajwadi chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday brought together a few non-Congress and non-BJP parties to seek a judicial probe into 'Coalgate' and resumption of proceedings in both Houses of Parliament.
This is likely to put pressure on the BJP, which has so far paralysed Parliament over the CAG’s report on coal block allocations, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Yadav, joining hands with the CPI, CPI(M) and the Telugu Desam, told reporters outside Parliament on Thursday that these parties will stage a sit-in to protest against disruption of the proceedings of Parliament. Yadav also demanded that the allegations into the allocation of coal blocks be inquired into by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court.
Further, in a move which can isolate the Opposition BJP, the Left leaders have claimed that about eight political parties, including the BJD and AIADMK, might join hands with them to support their cause.
The move is also being seen as an attempt to forge a front of non-Congress and non-BJP parties with an eye towards the next general election. The regional parties, except for issuing statements that they wanted discussion in Parliament on the 'Coalgate' controversy, have by and large been inactive so far, but now there appear to be hectic parleys taking place among various leaders.
“We have decided that we will sit on a protest against ‘Coalgate’ at 10 am on Friday in front of Parliament House. We want that Parliament should function and that the accused in ‘Coalgate’ be punished,” said Yadav, who added that the attempt was to unite non-NDA, non-UPA parties to distinguish themselves from both the BJP and the Congress.
The CPI(M) floor leader in the Lok Sabha, Basudeb Acharia, endorsed Mulayam Singh Yadav’s stand. He said: “The Congress and the BJP are working hand-in-glove. The allotment of coal blocks should be cancelled.”
Acharia also said that he had already spoken to leaders of both the BJD and AIADMK in this regard. Members from the Forward Bloc and Revolutionary Socialist Party would also join them, he added.
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