Now, NCP parts ways with Third Front in Bihar polls

In what could be termed as a setback to the “third front” alliance in Bihar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has announced that it will contest alone in the ongoing Bihar Assembly Elections and not ally with any party.

“Yes, there are a few confusion (in third front) as the alliance was stitched in haste”.

According to Anwar, SP and Jan Adhikar Party of Pappu Yadav are tilting towards BJP and might change their minds post elections and go towards BJP.

Mulayam has earlier said that the situation in Bihar was in favour of the BJP, stunning many political watchers. “The SP chief’s statement will directly or indirectly help the BJP in the poll and it betrays the basic tenets for which the Third Front was formed”, said Mr. Anwar, NCP leader and party MP from Katihar.

Summary: The Third Front in Bihar was jolted in the midst of the Assembly polls as Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today chose to walk out of the grouping citing “pro-BJP statements” by Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

It may be recalled that the NCP was initially going to be the part of the Lalu-Nitish-led grand alliance but later withdrew from it after the Janata Dal – U and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) made a decision to give the NCP only three seats in Bihar.

Meanwhile, NCP sources told The Hindu that the party would contest on 42 seats, mainly in Seemanchal (border) districts.