Nitish Kumar hints at forming coalition of like-minded parties against Cong and BJP

Says, "there is a possibility of a block in Parliament in future of many like minded parties"

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today hinted at formation of coalition of like-minded parties against Congress and BJP before Lok Sabha polls but refused to call it a Third or Fourth front.

"There is a possibility of a block in Parliament in future of many like minded parties," Kumar told reporters on the sidelines of a function of Bihar Innovation Forum here.

"Left Front leaders have taken initiative for this and JD(U) is supporting them," said Kumar, who is the driving force of his party.

Left Front has tie-up and seat adjustments with varied parties in different states.

He refused to call this proposed block as Third Front of Fourth Front.

Kumar said many parties of erstwhile Janata Dal family were talking to each other.

"There is a possibility of them federating with each other," he said, but clarified he was not talking about their merger.

Kumar said he had said at anti-communal forces convention at Delhi in October last year that efforts were on for a possible unity.

Though the senior JD(U) leader did not name any party, reports suggest Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, Biju Janata Dal, JD(U), JDS and Left parties are involved in the exercise.

There has been talks in the political circle in Bihar that JD(U) might have tie-up with CPI and CPI(M) in the hustings.

Due to inclination of CPI and CPI(M) towards JD(U), all efforts to form a broad Left unity by CPI-ML did not materialise.

CPI and CPI(M) are also not part of an expected secular alliance of RJD, Congress and LJP in Bihar.

Kumar had in the past mooted an idea of federal front comprising three ruling parties in eastern states -- JD(U), Trinamool Congress (TMC)and BJD -- accounting for over 100 Lok Sabha seats.