Will talk to all anti-BJP forces to stitch front, says Chautala
CHANDIGARH: Former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala on Tuesday injected fresh vigour into the possibilities being explored to form a third front against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying he will meet ‘leaders of all political parties opposed to the BJP to stitch a strong third front’ and topple the Union government.
The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) supremo said in next one month he will travel across states to meet Opposition party leaders and unite all anti-BJP forces to form a third front.
Chautala said he would like to make formal announcement of the third front on September 25 when the INLD has planned to hold a mega-rally to mark the birth anniversary of former deputy PM Devi Lal, with strong support base among the farmers.
Chautala’s push for a third front comes close on the heels of recent reports of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar holding talks to assess possibilities to formulate a third front. Pawar had later said that third front cannot be formed without the Congress.
“I will reach out to all Opposition parties. My aim is to unite all political forces opposed to this corrupt government at the Centre and stitch a robust third front. I will visit all states in the next one month. I’m going to have a luncheon meeting with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar next week. And I have close ties with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee,” Chautala said.
Accusing the Centre of formulating anti-farmer policies, the former CM said all 36 communities of Haryana are participating in the ongoing agitation against the three farms laws.
He said every section of the society and people from all religions are supporting the farmers’ stir, but the Union government is “not reading the writing on the wall”.
“The country needs an alternative to the BJP as people across country are suffering,” Chautala said.