Lalu, Pawar Woo Left, but Karat Says No
Just a day after Union foreign minister and senior Congress leader Pranb Mukherjee said that RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav would not be a minister after the Lok Sabha elections in response to latter’s statement that he does not own his rank to anybody, three prominent non-Congress leaders in the UPA including Lalu sought to reach out to Left parties describing them as “our friends” whose “blessings” could be needed in the post-poll scenario.
Two other leaders eying on Left parties support are NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and LGP president Ram Vilas Paswan. Needless to add, UPA lost its some allies over seat sharing issue and, according to experts, might need outside support to garner magic figure.
Pawar and Paswan, nevertheless, have different views on the issue of UPA’s PM candidate with the former asking to wait to take a decision while the latter supporting Manmohan Singh.
Speaking on their attempt to re-align with the Left, Pawar said that he honestly feel that this time UPA require the blessings and support of the Left parties and that is why from the first day, he was consistently saying to all his colleagues in the UPA to keep good rapport with the Left.
Showing agreement with Pawar, RJD chief Prasad said doors were “still open” for a post-poll alliance with the Left in the event of the UPA not being in a position to form a government. He said that their only difference with the Left is on nuclear issue.
Paswan also gave similar statement that the UPA was not averse to the Left as they wanted them to be with secular forces.
On the other hand, CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat sought to pour cold water on Congress plans to seek the Left support after the elections making it clear that no government is possible with Congress.
