Even though Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav aspires to lead a non-Congress and non-BJP front after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, leaders within the Left, Trinamul Congress and the BJD are sceptical of doing business with him due to his past record. The SP, which is holding its national executive meeting in Kolkata this week, is apparently struggling to shrug off its track record of being the most trusted ally of the Congress.
Sources said that the SP leadership has also taken note of the fact that there is not much enthusiasm among the non-Congress and non-BJP parties to come around Mr Yadav’s leadership. “We tested the idea of a front while seeking a judicial probe into coalgate but the response was clearly not up to our expectations. We are considered the most reliable ally of the Congress even though we only provide outside support to the UPA,” said an SP functionary.
A prominent leader of the CPI (M), while ruling out the idea of the Third Front, said that the SP chief has changed his stand a number of times and eventually rallied behind the Congress. “We have serious doubts trusting Mr Yadav’s on issues where we seek to rally people against the UPA government. As of now we do not think that Mr Yadav could lead a political front after the 2014 general elections,” said a CPI (M) leader.
The TMC, after initial bonhomie, appears averse to idea of striking political relations with the SP.
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‘Sushma will deliver great performance’
AGE CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi/Mumbai, Sept. 9
“I have said this many times... She (Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj would be a great choice for PM’s post. She is a deserving, intelligent woman... She would deliver a great performance,” Sena supremo Bal Thackeray said.
Mr Thackeray also expressed dismay over Mr Advani’s recent prediction that the next government may be formed by a non-NDA, non-UPA front.
“I find it difficult to say anything beyond (what he said). What should one expect from these people ? Why did he say so?” Mr Thackeray said.
To a question whether the alliance between the BJP and the Shiv Sena was “strong”, Mr Thackeray said, “Now (I) can’t use the word strong. Thinking has changed, there are personal animosities, animosities between the parties. NDA of the past had a leader like Vajpayee, now there is no such leadership. But I am talking about NDA, not BJP. Treading cautiously on its ally’s suggestions, BJP national vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “BJP has many leaders who are competent to become the Prime Minister and are acceptable in the country...”