BJP says Third Front unsustainable

Keeps doors open for post poll truck with BJD

The formation of a government by the proposed Third Front at the centre after the general elections cannot materialise because of lack of unanimity on the Prime Minister's post and hence, the coalition may never take place, claimed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today.

"In West Bengal Trinamool Congress leaders have said if there is a Third Front government, then Mamata Banerjee has to be the Prime Minister and nobody else. Here Naveen Patnaik is daydreaming about becoming Prime Minister. It shall never materialise, because, Third Front itself will never be formed. Even if it is formed, who will become its leader- that will be a matter of great tension and infighting among the parties," Chandan Mitra, the BJP's Odisha in-charge said here today.He said, even if a Third Front government is formed post general elections in May, it may not last long.

"(Bihar Chief Minister) Nitish Kumar is also dreaming about that (Third Front). But you wait and see how he is being wiped out in Bihar. The Third Front has been tried before and people like Deve Gowda and IK Gujral have become Prime Ministers, but they were not able to last for months forget about years," Mitra said.

Many political parties such as AIADMK, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress and Left parties have already expressed their desire to form a Third Front. Naveen Patnaik has kept everyone guessing over his desire to join the possible coalition.The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today reiterated its stand on Third Front.

"Neither Naven babu nor the BJD has ever mentioned about the Third Front. It has been stressed that there is a need for such an alternative coalition at the Centre which can only be talked about after the election. It is completely premature to think about that now," said Suryanarayan Patro, BJD vice-president.Though the BJP has dismissed the possibility of entering into an alliance with BJD, it said its central leadership might consider about it in future.

"As of now, the party has no alliance with any political party in the state for the upcoming elections nor is it keen to enter into an alliance. (However) ..nothing can be predicted in politics. Both the state and central leadership will decide whether there is a need for truck with any party in future," Mitra said here on Saturday.

BJD had severed nine-year-old electoral tie with BJP ahead of 2009 general elections, blaming the national party for Kandhamal riots.

As of now, the party has decided to fight the state assembly elections and Lok Sabha polls on corruption issue at the state and the Central level, he said.

"You must have seen there is a drive against corruption in the country. Everywhere people wish that corruption must be wiped out. In Odisha there is no third issue except corruption and development. Our PM candidate Narendra Modi has also focussed on this as well," Mitra said, hinting at the role of Naveen Patnaik government in the mining scam as suggested in the leaked reports of Shah Commission. .

Reacting to Mitra's statement, BJD's Patro said, "The allegation by BJP is not new. They are targeting Naveen babu since the saffron party has lost its existence in the last civic polls."