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<!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo--> First straw in the political wind? Mulayam, Naidu announce front
Express News ServicePosted online: Friday, April 07, 2006 at 0000 hrsNon-Cong, Non-BJP Claim Amma, NC and AGP on board, silent on Left support
New Delhi, April 6: While the BJP sorts out its yatra politics and the Congress is overshadowed by president Sonia Gandhi’s Rae Bareli re-election, regional parties are getting busy. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu came together to announce a “non-Congress, non-BJP” political front.

They tactically refused to call the front, the Third Front, and have instead christened it as the “National Alternative.”

At a joint press conference here with Yadav today, Naidu said, ‘‘The alliance already has Assam’s AGP, Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK, Farooq Abdullah’s National Conference and us. Both Mulayam and myself have already campaigned for the AGP, and with the CPI and CPI(M)’s support in the state, we are confident the AGP will win the state Assembly elections.’’

Asked if the Left Front would support this new group, Yadav said: “I cannot say anything about them (the Left).’’ On whether the UPA would last five years, he said: ‘‘Assembly elections in five states are underway. Wait till the outcome...where the Congress will be routed. Ask me the question after the results.’’

The UP CM said the new front would highlight the failures of the UPA Government, and “expose” the Congress-BJP’s common economic policies.

“Even on the Iran nuclear issue, both parties are on the same side. It is time all the regional parties came together,’’ he said. While Naidu accused the Congress of victimising enemies via tax raids and phonetaps, Yadav slammed Sonia saying her resignation drama was “melodrama,” not “sacrifice.”