Third Front likely to take shape today

The stage is set for the launch of the Third Front, which is seeking to emerge as an alternative to the combines spearheaded by the Congress and the BJP, at a rally near here tomorrow.

The Third Front, an amalgamation of CPI, CPI-M, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Telugu Desam, AIADMK, Forward Bloc and RSP, besides founding member JD-S, is likely to take shape in this BJP-ruled state, which has seen many a watershed in the country’s political history since the formation of a non-Congress government at the Centre in 1988.

Gowda had claimed yesterday that BJD led by Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, which had broken ties with BJP, had agreed to join the Front. But BJD had made it clear that it had not made up its mind on the issue.

The JDS chief, who is playing a key role in cobbling up the third front, had said yesterday that BJD would not take part in the rally.

Another major absence is likely to be that of AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa. Party sources said she would depute AIADMK parliamentary party leader V Maitheriyan to attend the rally on her behalf but did not cite any reason for staying away.

To ensure that the event did not suffer from any shortcomings, Gowda himself has been supervising the arrangements.

JDS Spokesman Y S V Datta claimed that there could be a “surprise” tomorrow as BSP led by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati was expected to depute her Representative.

“All the leaders would meet tomorrow morning to chart out the convention agenda and resolutions to be passed”, Datta said but did not indicate the issues on which resolutions were expected.

The rally is expected to give a personal boost to Deve Gowda who was cold shouldered by the left parties after his son H D Kumaraswamy joined hands with BJP to form a coalition government with BJP in Karnataka in 2006.

The main rivals of the Front, Congress and BJP, however, said the new alliance would hardly make any difference during the coming general elections.