Bihar: Confusion in third front, admits NCP leader Tariq Anwar

Patna, Oct 9: Admitting that there is "some confusion" in the third front in Bihar, senior NCP leader Tariq Anwar today expressed confidence that things would be sorted out soon failing which there could be friendly fight in a few seats in the upcoming Assembly polls.

"Yes, there are some confusion (in third front) as the alliance was stitched in haste. Initially, it was the alliance of SP and NCP under which the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led party was to contest 143 seats and the latter (NCP) was to field candidates in the remaining 100.

"But later other parties decided to join the front and all had to be accommodated. Hence there are some confusion," Anwar told reporters after releasing NCP's 'Bihar Vision 2020'. He, however, exuded confidence that things would be sorted out.

"We have reached complete agreement on 200 seats and we have to still work on 43 seats. Talks are on in this regard. If we fail to reach an agreement for consensus, then there will be a friendly fight on few seats."

Replying to a query on SP announcing names of 146 candidates against its allotted quota of 85 seats, Anwar said NCP has not violated its quota of 40 seats which was allotted to it as part of the alliance.

Six parties - SP, NCP, Pappu Yadav's Janadhikar Party, Samras Samaj Party of former Union minister Nagmani, Nationalist Peoples Party of former Speaker PA Sangma and Samajwadi Janata Party of former Union minister Devendra Prasad Yadav - had announced the launch of the third front named Socialist Secular Morcha.

It took shape after SP quit the grand alliance of JD(U)-RJD-Congress. Claiming that the front was "very much there and fighting elections effectively," he said, NCP chief Sharad Pawar would stump for the alliance's candidates in the fourth and fifth phases as the constituencies where the party had its presence would go to the polls then.

On the allegations of tickets being sold in the third front, he said, such allegations were quite common.

"When national parties like BJP are no exception to it and its MP R K Singh had levelled charge of sale of ticket, then it is quite natural that regional parties would easily be charged with such allegations."

Anwar said the third front would announce its manifesto soon.

PTI