With the talks between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (United) breaking down, hectic parleys have begun to fine-tune an “alternative” for an alliance of non-Congress and non-BJP parties.
In an indication that the ruling party of Bihar, the JD(U), is looking at all options, the party president and National Democratic Alliance convenor , Sharad Yadav, met CPI(M) leader, Sitaram Yechury, here on Friday.
Though Yadav and Yehcury downplayed the political importance of the meeting, it is learnt that the JD(U) has conveyed to the CPI(M) that the Left parties cannot take a “neutral” position in the situation.
A JD(U) leader said the meeting was to take the Left’s views on the ongoing developments. He said the JD(U) was talking to all parties on the situation after BJP’s decision to project Narendra Modi.
“The Left has contributed to the formation of anti-Congress Governments in the past. We consider them as important players,” the leader said.
The meeting is also being interpreted as JD(U)’s effort to “neutralise” the scene and keep the Left in good humour after its Secretary-General K.C. Tyagi met the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, two days ago. The party has supported the idea of “federal front,” floated by Banerjee.
Yechury told Business Line that the Left’s effort would be to form an alternative set of policies.
“What the people of this country need is a relief from the growing economic burden. This is a result of the economic policies followed by the Congress and the BJP. No front can be successful unless it provides alternative policies to the people,” he said.
He said the Left parties would meet on July 1 to formulate an alternative policy framework. “Based on this policy alternative, we will hold discussions with other parties,” he added.
In a related development, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, a United Progressive Alliance supporter, met veteran CPI leader A.B. Bardhan here and discussed the evolving political situation.
Bardhan also said the Left parties were working for a “programme-based” coalition. “Only a non-Congress non-BJP coalition which pursues credible alternate policies on people’s issues, which steers the country on a Left and democratic course is the need of the hour,” Bardhan said.
The BJP, meanwhile, is making all efforts to save its alliance with JD(U). However, the JD(U) is expected to announce its divorce with BJP on Saturday.
BJP veteran, L.K. Advani, who spoke to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Sharad Yadav, tried to pacify them by saying that announcing Modi as chief of campaign did not mean that he would be the Prime Ministerial candidate of NDA. However, the JD(U) is not showing any change in stance.
The Congress, however, is adopting a wait-and-watch policy. The party said it would take move ahead only after JD(U) formally snapped its ties with NDA.