Pawar calls for unity of secular forces to stall BJP

Says that it was in view of this reality that NCP supported Congress at Centre while being part of LDF in Kerala

Holding that the unity of secular forces is essential to stall the BJP from coming to power, Union Minister and NCP leader Sharad Pawar has said the Left parties should factor in this reality while working out its strategies for the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a public meeting, organised as part of NCP's state meet here last evening, Pawar said if the BJP assumed power it would strive to carry out its "communal agenda" and such a scenario could be avoided if the secular forces in the country stood united.

It was in view of this reality that the NCP gave support to the Congress at the Centre while being part of LDF in Kerala, he said.

Picking holes in BJP's claim of fighting the polls on the "development agenda" of its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Pawar said if the saffron party assumed power, its priority would be to implement its "communal agenda."

Maintaining that regional parties were going to play a significant role after the Lok Sabha elections, the NCP leader said neither the Congress nor the BJP would be able to form the Government without these parties' support.

On Kerala's concerns over the Centre's direction to implement the Kasturirangan Committee report on Western Ghats conservation, Pawar said his party's view was that a high level discussion should be held before taking a final decision on it.