Alternative front

February 05, 2014 02:14 am | Updated May 18, 2016 06:00 am IST

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is right in saying the question of running for Prime Minister is moot at the moment. A lot of variables remain on the path to that day. If Jayalalithaa were to enter into an alliance with one of the two national parties, she might have to shell out a good number of seats for her partners (“Talks on for alternative front, says Prakash Karat”, Feb. 4). With the Left parties, who are not as demanding, her party can take the liberty of retaining the maximum winnable seats and emerge as a major force on the national political scene, especially in light of the way secular votes are getting divided in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Once she sails through, she can easily rethink her options.

Varathra Sreekumar,

New Delhi

India is avidly awaiting for a non-Congress, non–Bharatiya Janata Party front to lead the country. The Aam Aadmi Party emerged as a fighting option, but does not appear strong enough to clinch power on the national stage. This is a good time for a third front to take form, giving people time to build trust in the alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha election. Mr. Karat must make sure he avoids parties such as the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party so as enable the front to have a clear secular manifesto.

K.C. Iqbal Vavad,

Kozhikode It is a usual phenomenon to see regional parties coming together ahead of the general elections to defy the major alliances. These political potpourris throw up motley crews as fringe parties tie up with the communist parties or the SP in a bid to stay afloat. The drawback in this compilation of support is that the CPI can tend to paint its partner too as secular and clean. Aspirants to the third front seek to swim against the Modi wave, but we must keep in mind the corruption cases pending against the leaders of most parties today. The hope held out by the nascent third front is but a mirage.

J.R. Kaamath,

Coonoor

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