Left, BSP, TDP in huddle as UPA prospects improve

New Delhi, Jul 21 (UNI) TDP chief and UNPA leader Chandrababu Naidu held a one-and-a-half-hour-long meeting with BSP chief Mayawati here this evening soon after calling on CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat, as speculation about the UPA having finally drummed up the required numbers to sail through tomorrow's trust vote gained currency.

A tense-looking Mr Naidu disappointed mediapersons waiting for him outside Ms Mayawati's residence as he drove past without speaking to them.

Earlier in his meeting with Mr Karat, he had accused the UPA of indulging in horse-trading.

The BSP, UNPA and Left leaders had yesterday exuded confidence that they they would defeat the Government on the floor of the House.

Earlier, they had also floated the idea of having Ms Mayawati as prime ministerial candidate of an emerging third front comprising the UNPA minus the SP, the Left and some other regional parties.

Besides the TDP chief, RLD leader Ajit Singh also called on the Left leader this evening and discussed the fast changing political scenario with him.

RLD and JD(S) of H D Deve Gowda had yesterday decided to throw their weight behind the anti-deal camp of BSP, UNPA and the Left, a situation that looked conducive for the emergence of a third front which was equidistant both from the Congress and the BJP.

Ms Mayawati was being envisioned as the leader of the likely front, a situation that had brought disquiet to the BJP besides the Congress.

Taking part in a television debate, BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley said there was no question of propping up Mayawati for the premiership as alleged by Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

''The BJP has already projected its leader L K Advani as the next PM candidate,'' Mr Jaitley had said.

BJP's repugnance to the idea of having Ms Mayawati as prime minister after the fall of the Manmohan Singh Government formed the base today of speculation that the NDA might bail out the Government by the way of abstentions.

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