We will not allow split in secular votes in UP:Left

New delhi, June 21: The Left parties today expresed their determination not to repeat the Bihar experience and prevent a split in secular vote in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, a day after Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav indicated that the polls might be advanced and announced a slew of largesse to woo the youth, womenfolk and the minorities.

The leaders of the CPI, CPI(M), Forward Bloc and RSP would soon meet here to discuss the issue in all respects, Left leaders said.

In separate interviews to UNI, they said the Left always opposed the formation of political outfits based on ''caste and religion'', contending that the trend would play havoc with the country's social and secular fabric.

On Mr Yadav's indication on preponing the polls, which are otherwise due next February, they said it did not make much of a difference.

Only yesterday, Mr Yadav himself announced his intention of holding early elections. While addressing his party workers in Agra, he is reported to have said, ''Be prepared for early polls, within two months'' and asked them to gear up for electoral battle.

The last few weeks has seen the CM in ''development overdrive'' announcing a lot of schemes- an unemployment allowance for the unemployed youth, the setting up of a commission for finding ways and means to increase minority representation in government jobs and to promote their education.

''Whenever the elections are held, we are ready to face these,'' CPI leaders A B Bardhan and Shamim Faizi said. Forward Bloc National Secretary G Devrajan has also expressed similiar sentiments.

CPI(M) Deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Mohammad Salim said, ''the Left efforts will be made to avoid the split of secular and democratic votes so as the Bihar experience is not repeated.'' Elaborating, the CPI(M) leader said, however, the UP ground realities and the evolving political scene would take some more time to take a concrete shape. ''We will soon meet to take up the issue.'' A Left leader said the issue also came up for discussion in the Left joint meeting here on June 2. It was pointed out at the meeting that the SP which has as many as 39 MPs in the Lok Sabha could not be ignored. The wrong message should not be given in this regard.

UNI