| Sometime back, in one of my editorials, I had written | | | | current UPA coalition, like the NCP and RJD, would not |
| that in the forthcoming Parliamentary elections, the | | | | mind joining the third front as well, as there has been a |
| formation of a third front is quite a possibility, given the | | | | clear conflict of interest in their respective states – |
| current state of political affairs in the country. In fact, | | | | Maharashtra and Goa for the former and Bihar and |
| the very idea of a third front was put forward when | | | | Jharkhand for the latter. |
| the CPI(M) General Secretary, Prakash Karat | | | | The same holds true for JD(S) in Karnataka as well. |
| announced he was working towards it. Though there is | | | | But irrespective of such a high probability, the biggest |
| no doubt that both the big national parties – | | | | challenge that Prakash Karat would face would be in |
| Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – | | | | bringing them all together to form a third front. And an |
| cannot form a government on their own, as it has | | | | even bigger challenge would be in terms of deciding |
| been quite evident over the past few years, for both | | | | who would finally lead the front. Looking at the way |
| these parties have seen a sustained erosion of their | | | | things are going, Mayawati stands a bigger chance for |
| national appeal and those are the regional parties | | | | the same, but this is something that the CPI(M) |
| which have been eating into their share of the pie! The | | | | leadership would not be able to accept. And this is |
| erosion has been so severe that in some states, some | | | | exactly the point on which the very idea of a probable |
| regional parties have literally overgrown to challenge | | | | third front would die a premature death. |
| the erstwhile supremacy of the big two. | | | | Now the question is: What is the solution to this |
| In fact, of all the regional parties, it is Mayawati’s | | | | impending imbroglio? Though going by convention, it is |
| Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) which has done the | | | | almost impossible to even imagine that both BJP and |
| maximum damage for them. Historically, it has often | | | | Congress can come together and jointly form a |
| been observed that the party which rules Uttar | | | | government. But then, why not? This is any day a |
| Pradesh invariably makes Delhi as their next | | | | much better alternative than having the |
| destination; and Mayawati has been successful in | | | | aforementioned third front, which would do nothing |
| routing both the BJP and the Congress from a state | | | | other than adding nuisance value at the Centre. |
| which earlier used to be their bastion. Her party has | | | | Moreover, if one closely analyses the NDA and the |
| not only marginalised both the Congress and the BJP | | | | UPA regimes, it becomes evident that on most policy |
| in UP, but also has started making inroads into other | | | | matters, they have taken an almost identical stance |
| states of critical importance from the perspective of | | | | during their respective tenures. Both the parties have |
| national elections. | | | | been reform oriented with a strong focus on economic |
| Looking at the way things are shaping up, there are | | | | growth. Starting from the Golden Quadrilateral to the |
| three possible outcomes of the forthcoming | | | | nuclear deal, both the parties have been maintaining |
| Parliamentary elections – first, that of Congress | | | | almost a uniform stance. And the economic |
| forming a government with outside support from | | | | performance of the country has also seen almost |
| Mayawati and CPI(M); second, being that of BJP | | | | similar trends in their respective tenures. In the given |
| forming a government with support from the above | | | | scenario, with so much in common, why can’t the |
| two: and third, the third front comes together to form a | | | | two parties come together to form a government? If |
| government of their own. Now, in both the first and | | | | they can do so for the larger cause, burying their |
| second cases, on account of the nuisance value of | | | | respective ideological differences, only then can we |
| BSP and CPI(M), both Congress and BJP would | | | | have a workable coalition, which would then sustain |
| abstain from partnering a coalition with them, until and | | | | itself for the full five-year tenure. And then who knows, |
| unless there is a dying compulsion. This leaves us with | | | | the political chemistry between the two parties could |
| the third option, and that is, Prakash Karat’s third | | | | work in such a manner that then why just five years, |
| front coming together and forming a government. In | | | | they could move ahead to more terms. |
| fact, the very idea of a third front has already been | | | | A few days back, Congress President Sonia Gandhi |
| welcomed by BJP’s former ally, Chandrababu | | | | and BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani were seen sharing |
| Naidu, who would do anything to make good his loss | | | | a hearty laugh at the Rashtrapati Bhavan – only if |
| vis-a-vis the Congress in the last state elections. | | | | they extended the same laughter to the next election |
| Moreover, other political parties who are partners in the | | | | and forged a grand alliance!!! |