To regain ground, BSP keen on joining third front

Varinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 11

The BSP is apparently keen on being part of a third front in Punjab — an idea floated by AAP rebels led by former Leader of the Opposition Sukhpal Khaira, Panthic bodies, the Lok Insaaf Party and Patiala MP Dharamvira Gandhi.

Mayawati, the BSP chief, does not want a poll alliance with either the Congress or the SAD. Sources say top BSP leadership sees an opportunity to regain lost ground in the state with the people largely disappointed with the Congress government over unemployment as well as the Akalis over the Bargari police firing and other such incidents.

“By participating in the Lok Sabha elections as a member of the third front, we will be able to resurrect our party in Punjab,” BSP general secretary Lal Singh Sulhani, who attended a meeting with potential allies in Jalandhar on Friday, told The Tribune.

Others at the meeting were AAP rebel MLAs, the Bains brothers, United Akali Dal secretary general Gurdip Singh Bathinda, BSP state president Rashpal Singh Raju, BSP all-India general secretary Dr Megh Raj and BSP’s Punjab observer Randhir Singh Benipal. “A final decision will be taken by the high command within this month,” Sulhani said.

Panthic forces spearheading the Bargari morcha, such as the SAD (Amritsar), SAD (1920) and the United Akali Dal, are reportedly ‘in touch’ with Khaira and his associates. When contacted, Bhai Mohkam Singh, the United Akali Dal president, claimed that things were moving in the right direction.