Third front talks gain momentum

6 April, 2008

With India's general elections around the corner, political parties in India are thinking of new alliances. Major political entities like the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist party of India (Marxist)-led Left front, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Party are all busy giving shape to their respective strategies.

Rumors abound of new alliances and existing allies turning foes. The CPI (M) has already announced their intention to float a new third front for the coming general elections, at the concluding session of the 19th Party Congress held at Coimbatore. The CPI (M), which is the largest outside supporter of the ruling United Progressive Alliance, has many a difference with the Congress and the issues range from the US N-deal, liberalization, FDI, and disinvestment.

The CPI (M) has been exerting pressure on the UPA government on many issues during the last three and half years. Moreover, the Congress is their main political opponent in the states where CPI (M) has strong presence such as Kerala and West Bengal. The party wants to keep their political chances intact by increasing their attack on the Congress.

However, there is no clarity yet on the other parties joining hands for the third front. Their major allies in the third front such as DMK and Rashtriya Janata Dal have close relations with the Congress now. It is not clear whether these parties would join the third front. The Mulayam Singh-led Samjawadi Party is also said to be trying to join hands with the Congress. The SP had been a central player of the third front for a long time.

Other potential third front candidates such as Telugu Desam, AIADMK, Asom Gana Parishad, Janatha Dal (S) have yet to define their stance. These parties had, in 2007, revived chances of a third front. But then the Left Parties had deliberately kept away from the alliance due to their close association with the Congress. It is not clear if these parties would give a push again to their third front aspirations.

Meanwhile, the main Opposition party, the BJP, has been aggressively trying to rope in more allies into its fold. They have already started informal talks with TD, AIADMK, AGP and Janata Dal (S) on a possible electoral alliance. The prospects of the third front would be based on the stand of the powerful Dalit leader Mayawati given the fact that she commands tremendous clout across the UP heartland.