Nagmani's SSP quits Third Front, to back Lalu-Nitish alliance

Within 10 days of NCP quitting the Third Front in Bihar, Samras Samaj Party (SSP) of former union minister Nagmani today quit the grouping and announced its support for the grand secular alliance in the remaining phases of the Assembly polls.

Stating that the Third Front has been a non-starter in Bihar, SSP president Nagmani said, "Our party decided to quit the Third Front as we felt that it is out on zero after the second phase of polling. And both Mulayam Singh Yadav's SP and Pappu Yadav's Jan Adhikar Party are working as BJP's agent."

SSP was one of the six parties which had joined hands to form the Third Front in Bihar elections. NCP had bid goodbye to the Third Front on October 15, a day before the second phase polling, citing "pro-BJP statements" by Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Outlining his priorities to stop BJP from coming to power, Nagmani announced that he would campaign for grand secular alliance in the remaining phases of elections and would appeal to his supporters and castemen (Kushwahas) to vote for grand secular alliance of Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar.

"I am confident that secular alliance will win the elections with two third majority," Nagmani said.

Asked why he chose to take decision after the second phase of polling, Nagmani said, "I realised it only after second phase of polling that Third Front is not working. Its constituents' leaders like Mulayam Singh Yadav and Pappu Yadav are working for the BJP."

Nagmani, son of Jagdev Prasad, a legendary leader of OBC Kushwaha caste in Bihar, said his party would support Prasad who empowered backwards, Dalits and Muslims.

He rubbished BJP's "Jungle Raj regime" barb on Prasad and claimed the 15-year rule of RJD was 'golden age' of Bihar's politics.

Similarly, Kumar ushered the state onto development path, the SSP chief said, adding that he (Nagmani) never ditched anyone, rather he quit the Nitish Kumar cabinet due to some other reasons in 2009.

Nagmani, who has served in almost all parties including Congress, BJP, JD(U), RJD and LJP, is contesting from Kurtha in Arwal district while his wife Suchitra Sinha is in the field from Morwa in Samastipur district. Polling in both the constituencies has been completed.

Nagmani said his party's candidates are contesting on around a dozen seats of which four to five seats will go to polls in the remaining three phases.