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Left has a big role in forming alternative to NDA: Pawar

By Mahesh Vijapurkar

MUMBAI July 17. Though the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party had separately voiced the need for a broad, multi-party anti-National Democratic Alliance platform to fight the next Lok Sabha elections, the decision of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and its Left Front allies to stay away from any such endeavour was a "big setback", the NCP chief, Sharad Pawar, said here today.

"If there has to be an alternative to the NDA, then the Left has a big role in that," he added.

The Congress itself was not very helpful by identifying its own leader as the one to head the contemplated front, he said. "Such a choice has to be made only by all participating parties who constitute the alliance." Further there had been no movement on the ground but there was a possibility of inching forward when various parties meet on Sunday in New Delhi to work out floor coordination among the Opposition parties.

With the Left not wanting to get into any pre-poll tie-up, "things have become difficult," he said at a press conference. "We cannot work without them." Their presence in a non-NDA formation "was a reality that cannot be ignored" even if they were smaller than the Congress. For, when Deve Gowda, I.K. Gujral and Chandra Sekhar became Prime Ministers, they headed small parties. Mr. Pawar himself led a small party and a Government headed by it in Maharashtra in the '70s.

When the CPI (M) had set its face against such a plan, and the Janata Dal (Secular) had spoken of being both anti-NDA and anti-Congress and the Samajwadi Party was still discussing its own options, it was premature to talk of a new alliance. "To me nothing is visible yet." He agreed that "it was difficult to persuade the CPI (M) to change its mind" and because of this, he was not in a position even to speculate on a third front minus the Congress.

"I do not see even the start of a process of consultations on programmes on which the next Government can run the country." Without settling them where "is the question of starting talks on unity?''

If an alliance was not possible, the "NCP would strive to grow by retaining its own identity and character. At no time would it merge with the Congress". Talking of leaders before anything else was decided "was not suitable to coalition politics". The NCP felt the need for an alternative.

All parties wanting to offer a new alternative would need to first decide by consultation on why and on what platform they should go to the people, with a joint programme accorded the highest ranking in the priorities. No political formation could claim to be an alternative to the NDA without adequate and proper preparations, Mr. Pawar said, pointing out that the "Congress does not appear to be serious" by naming the leader of the contemplated alliance.

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