The former Prime Minister and national president of Janata Dal (Secular), H.D. Deve Gowda, has said there is every likelihood of non-Congress and non-BJP parties coming together ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Towards this end, two meetings are scheduled over the next 10 days.
He told The Hindu that he was in touch with several of the leaders and that at least 10 political parties could come together to forge an alliance. The first of the meetings is scheduled on February 5 and is on the invitation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Samajwadi Party. Mr. Deve Gowda said the meeting called by the CPI(M) is primarily for a discussion with the Floor Leaders (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) of various political parties. “We will discuss the policies and programmes for the proposed front and this will set the agenda for the next round of discussions.”
The former Prime Minister said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is also keen on cobbling up a front, and this meeting is likely to be held on February 9 at the Bihar Bhavan.
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“Mr. Kumar is in touch with me to float what is called a Janata Parivar,” he said..
Mr. Deve Gowda said: “I will be present at both meetings. The need of the hour is for all of us to come together and forge a united front of likeminded parties. While Mr. Kumar has chosen to call it the ‘National Front’, Chief Minister of West Bengal has called it the ‘Federal Front’.
He said, “I am in discussion with several leaders, including some Chief Ministers, and all I can say is that we are confident of forging a front.” Discussions are also in progress at various levels with the leadership of the Biju Janata Dal in Odisha and the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu. The larger aim is to “wage a battle against the economic and other policies of both the UPA and the NDA”.
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