Date:17/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/17/stories/2006091718620300.htm

New Delhi

V.P. Singh-led front may spell trouble for Congress, BJP

Sujay Mehdudia

Raj Babbar has embarked upon a whirlwind tour of Delhi

V.P. Singh

NEW DELHI: As a beleaguered Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party struggles to cope with serious infighting within its ranks, the emerging Third Front led by former Prime Minister V. P. Singh has stolen a march over it by taking up issues linked to the day-to-day struggle of the common man including sealing, demolitions and the poor water and power situation in the Capital.

As if this were not enough, Jan Morcha national president and Member of Parliament Raj Babbar has embarked upon a major whirlwind programme to tour various parts of Delhi and address small meetings to drum up support for the emerging new formation and also get first hand knowledge of the problems faced by the people.

Mr. Babbar has already organised more than two-dozen small meetings during the past fortnight and the frequency is likely to increase in the coming days as the deadline for holding MCD elections early next year approaches. "Mr. Babbar will carry out an intensified touring programme for Delhi in the coming months and take up issues concerning the rural areas, farmers, those living in slum clusters, issues like deteriorating power and water situation and, of course, the current phase of sealing and demolitions,'' says Delhi Nationalist Congress Party president and convenor of the new formation, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri.

What has rattled the Congress party is the call by Mr. V.P. Singh to vote against the Congress Government in Delhi. Apart from asking the voters to bulldoze the Government in the next elections, Mr. Singh has also launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and her bid to "turn Delhi into Paris'' by uprooting the poor and indulging in demolitions and sealing. Upping the ante during his meetings in various parts of the Capital, Mr. Babbar has concentrated his attack on "the nexus between the Delhi Government and the private power companies" and even gone to the extent of accusing the Delhi Government of acting as "middleman'' for private power companies.

Political observers are of the view that with the MCD elections scheduled for early next year, the way these parties have joined hands under Mr. Singh and Mr. Babbar, things could become extremely difficult for the Congress party.

On the other hand, former Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana has also been waging a battle against the BJP leaders and taking up issues concerning the people of Delhi. It would be a dangerous situation if this new formation also manages to enrol Mr. Khurana into their camp. This would prove to be fatal both for the Congress and the BJP. Mr. Bidhuri has managed to cobble up a new combination. He can do more harm to the main parties if he manages the Left parties' support and also get either Ram Vilas Paswan or Mayawati to jump onto his bandwagon.