No party is 'untouchable' in present political scenario- Natwar

Lucknow, Apr 25 (UNI) Hinting at the rather far-fetched post-poll political equation in Uttar Pradesh,suspended Congress MP and former external affairs minister Natwar Singh has said in the present political scenario in the state no one can be termed 'untouchable'.

The statement of Mr Singh was in direct response to a question whether there was a possibility of the ruling Samajwadi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party joining hands after the polls.

''Nothing can be ruled out in the present politics in UP'' was the comment of the former External Affairs minister, presently a star campaigner of the ruling party in UP.

The comment of Mr Natwar Singh is likley to create ripples in political circlese specially when the UP poll campaigning is becoming queerer and the BJP has constantly been denying about even a remote possibility of any truck with SP in any way.

The Congress and Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party have never spared any opportunity to allege there was a tacit understanding between SP and BJP and the statement of Mr Natwar Singh is sure to fuel this political arguement.

''In the present circumstances no political outfit can be termed untouchable and anything is possible,'' Mr Singh said while talking to mediapersons last night.

The disgruntled Congress leader was of the view that the post-poll alliance in the state after May 11 will have an impact on the Unied Progressive Alliance(UPA) government at the Centre.

Expressing the possibility of a hung assembly after the polls, Mr Singh, an accused in the food-for-oil scam, said all the three political parties-- SP, BJP and BSP-- would get one hundred seats and if Congress wins around 50 seats then they will have a say in the next government formation.

He, however, differed with the opinion of chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav over the role of Election Commission in the ongoing polls saying the EC had performed well to ensure free and fair polls in the state.

Making a critical attack on the Dr Manmohan Singh-led government for failing to address the people's grievances in their about three-year tenure, the former external affairs minister said the alliance partners of the UPA will certainly have to re-think about their support against a backdrop of the UP assembly poll result.

''With just two years remaining for the general election, now the the alliance partners of UPA are seriously thinking of snapping ties over the failures of the centre'', he said.

Commenting on the prospect of a third front in the country, mooted by Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mr Singh said there is all possibility of the emergence of a third front as people are now frustrated with the Congress and BJP.

UNI