Bhubaneswar: Narendra Modi has called the effort to cobble together a Third Front an attempt to rescue the ruling Congress, which, he says, is heading for a rout in the general elections due by May.
At an election rally in Bhubaneswar, Odisha today, he attacked Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, a prominent part of the attempt being made by several regional parties right now to bring together non-Congress, non-BJP forces to build a political alternative called the Third Front.
"Who are these people of the Third Front? 11 parties get together in Delhi for photo opportunities. Nine of these 11 parties support the Congress and close to the elections put on the Third Front mask. The Third Front is always on a Congress-
bachao mission," Mr Modi said. (
Highlights of Mr Modi's speech)
Leaders like Mulayam Singh Yadav, whose Samajwadi Party props up the Congress-led UPA at the Centre, are part of the effort. The group also includes Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Mr Modi's arch rival, who pulled his Janata Dal (United) out of a 17-year-old partnership with the BJP when it became clear that the party would nominate the Gujarat Chief Minister for the prime minister's post.
Mr Patnaik too had several years ago dumped the BJP in Odisha. Mr Modi accused the three-term Odisha Chief Minister of poor development in his state. "I have been running Gujarat for 14 years and so has your Chief Minister. In 14 years we have developed Gujarat so much that people from Odisha come to Gujarat to seek employment," Mr Modi said.
His attack on Mr Patnaik did not however keep him from invoking the Odisha Chief Minister's father and popular leader, the late Biju Patnaik. "Seeing Odisha's state, Biju-babu would be most upset... Shouldn't we make an Odisha that is a tribute to Biju-babu?" Mr Modi asked, appealing to the state to ensure they send "21 BJP legislators for a "straight pipeline from Odisha to Delhi."
Assembly elections are due in Odisha along with the general elections and Mr Modi said that presented an opportunity to the people to choose his BJP.