National

Ajit Singh meets Gowda

NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Ajit Singh on Friday called on Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda and reportedly sought his intervention to get Bahujan Samajwadi Party supremo Mayawati to reconsider her decision to go it alone in the Lok Sabha elections in U.P.

The RLD, along with the JD(S) and the BSP, backed the Left in voting against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government in the recent vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha. At that time, it was understood that the RLD and the BSP would jointly contest the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh as part of a ‘third front’.

But soon after, the BSP supremo announced not only her decision to go it alone but also candidates for all seats in the State, leading to doubts over the very emergence of the ‘third front’. Upset at her decision, Mr. Singh is reported to have held talks for alliance with both the Congress and the BJP.

On Thursday, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat and CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan called on Mr. Gowda and discussed Ms. Mayawati’s announcement.

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