Ummid Assistant

'IGNOU to launch post-graduate medical programmes

IGNOU trains teachers to develop online courses

Welcome Guest! You are here: Home » Views & Analysis

Third Front again? Many feel it's a non-starter

Monday September 26, 2011 04:09:10 PM, IANS

New Delhi: Some of the political parties that once made up the Third Front are ready to shake hands again. But pundits feel the idea is a non-starter -- at least now.

The Samajwadi Party and the Communists are the most enthusiastic of the lot who want to stitch together what they call "a third alternative" ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha battle.

Not everyone is that keen although some are ready to share a platform on specific issues.

Political experts admit the time is not ripe for another Third Front notwithstanding the fact that neither the Congress nor the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in a position to take power on its own.

"There is space for a Third Front as the Congress and the BJP can never claim to represent the country in the true sense," D. Raja of the Communist Party of India (CPI) told IANS.

"We are actively considering with like-minded parties a political alternative to the Congress and the BJP," he added.

Samajwadi Party general secretary Mohan Singh told IANS: "There is a need to explore a third alternative."

But the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which is facing multiple challenges in Andhra Pradesh where it once held sway, does not appear to be that keen -- for now.

TDP's Nama Nageshwara Rao said his party was, however, discussing corruption and farmers' issues with "like-minded parties".

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which rules Orissa and is equidistant from both the Congress and the BJP, has not made up its mind.

In Tamil Nadu, the DMK is with the Congress while the now ruling AIADMK has links with the Left in the state. But the AIADMK could embrace the BJP nationally.

Nisar-ul Haq, professor of political science at Jamia Milia Islamia university here, said a Third Front was unlikely in the immediate future because the Communists had hurt themselves badly.

"The Left's relevance has reduced. Hence, forging a Third Front would be difficult," Haq told IANS.

N. Bhaskara Rao of the Centre for Media Studies (CMS), said a Third Front alliance -- similar to the one which ruled India in 1996-98 -- was unlikely as the situation was fluid.

Political analyst G.V.L. Narasimha Rao agreed. "People are wary of such groups," he said. "They fear it will only lead to further instability."

Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) are not talking about a third front. Ditto the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).

The same holds true for the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S). And the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) divorced the Third Front a long time ago.

The Samajwadi Party is strong only in Uttar Pradesh, which accounts for 80 of the 545 Lok Sabha seats. The Left has been battered in Kerala (20 seats) and West Bengal (42).

In earlier Third Front formations, the Left played a key role. But having lost power in West Bengal after 34 long years, its influence has greatly waned.

And in the absence of people like Harkishan Singh Surjeet who played a major role in bringing together various politicians, most of whom he knew personally, things are not looking good for Third Front propagandists.

Bhaskara Rao, however, feels that regional parties could get together because of growing antipathy to New Delhi. But this would not be the Third Front that India has known.




 

 

 

Bookmark and Share

Home | Top of the Page

 

Comments

Note: By posting your comments here you agree to the terms and conditions of www.ummid.com

Comments powered by DISQUS

 

 

 

Top Stories

We see our future in AMU Malegaon: Write hundreds of students to VC

Even as the AMU officials are busy giving the final shape to the team of experts which will visit Malegaon to inspect the land identified for   »

AMU Malegaon: Nashik MP extends support; VC ready to send team

Upbeat netizens give a strong thumbs up to AMU Malegaon

 

  Most Read

Jamia Millia VC Najeeb Jung joins RBI apex body

Jamia Millia Islamia vice chancellor Najeeb Jung has been nominated to the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), an official statement said Monday.  »

Statehood protests paralyse transport in Telangana

Transport services remained paralyzed in Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh Sunday due to a rail blockade by activists, and strike by auto rickshaw and state-owned bus employees demanding   »

MIM rules out supporting Telangana strike

 

  News Pick

MIM wants immediate steps for reservations for Muslims

Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) chief and member of parliament Asaduddin Owaisi Sunday urged the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to take immediate steps for  »

Action against police who arrested Madarsa students demanded

Senior cleric and General Secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) Maulana Nizamuddin has demanded from Bihar government to take action against the police  »

Chidambaram man of integrity, targeted for acting against ‘Sanghi' terror: Digvijay

Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh has swung to the defence of Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and asserted that the BJP is targeting him on the issue of 2G spectrum licences   »

 

Picture of the Day

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in United Nations listening to the speech of US President Barack Obama September 21, 2001.

(Photo: Reuters)

 

 
 
 
 
 

RSS  |  Contact us

 

| Quick links

News

 

Subscribe to

Ummid Assistant

 

National

Religion

RSS

Scholarships

About us

International

Culture

Twitter

Government Schemes

Feedback

Regional

History

Facebook

Education

Register

Politics

Opinion

Newsletter

Contact us

Business

Career

     

Education

     

 

 

Ummid.com: Disclaimer | Terms of Use | Advertise with us | Link Exchange

Ummid.com is part of the Awaz Multimedia & Publications providing World News, News Analysis and Feature Articles on Education, Health. Politics, Technology, Sports, Entertainment, Industry etc. The articles or the views displayed on this website are for public information and in no way describe the editorial views. The users are entitled to use this site subject to the terms and conditions mentioned.

© 2010 Awaz Multimedia & Publications. All rights reserved.