No govt in Centre would do without third front: Chautala

Yamunanagar, Jan 21 (UNI) Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief Om Prakash Chautala today claimed here that no party would be able to form a government at the Centre without forging alliance with the ''Third Front'' comprising major regional parties.

Interacting with mediapersons, Mr Chautala who was on a private visit here, asserted that it was time that the Congress was ''wiped out for the national good and after being disenchanted by BJP and Communists as well, the people will now vote-in the Third Front.'' ''There is great political uncertainty at the Centre at present and Lok Sabha mid-term polls can be held anytime. We have formed a third front of regional parties at the national level to ensure a stable and efficient government,'' the INLD supremo said.

''The parties like Congress, BJP and Communists will be compelled to forge alliance with us,'' Mr Chautala stressed.

Saying that the Congress popularity was fast declining, Mr Chautala, in an oblique reference to Mr Bhajan Lal and his supporters, said that Congress in Haryana would not expel rebel leaders as it was well aware that in case of by-polls, the party will lose the seats.

''In any case, the Haryana Janhit Congress had no presence in the state as any party having casteism as its poll-plank will be wiped out in the state. If at all, it would only cut into the Congress votes, which is good for us'', the INLD chief said.

He said that the third front will take up the issue of farmers' plight in the country and expose the Centre's failure to live upto its poll promises.

''This is why the Front is calling its first meeting in Mumbai, on February 3, as Maharashtra farmers were among the worst-hit and hundreds of them had been driven to commit suicide in past few months due to failure of the Congress government to keep its poll promise of debt-waiver and free tubewell connections'', Mr Chautala said.

The next meeting will held on February 6 in Ranchi, the capital of tribal state of Jharkhand. On Feb 10, a Harayana conference of Third Front will be held at Sampla on the occasion of Sir Chhotu Ram Jayanti, he said.

On February 27, a meeting will be organised in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh while in the first week of March the Third Front meet would take place in Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan, Mr Chautala informed.

UNI XC JN MMS AM RN1804