RJD prez Lalu calls for formation of Federal Front to combat BJP

He said it was the need of the hour to form a Federal Front to combat the BJP or else it would disintegrate India. “All likeminded parties will have to be united to save the country from the BJP and Sangh Parivar. If we fail to come together then it will disintegrate India,” he said. While supporting him, Farooq Abdullah said it was absolutely necessary to form a Federal Front. Asked who would be the leader of the Third Front, he said: “Mamata Banerjee could be our leader. It matters little from which part of the country she is coming from east or west, north or south, we need a front.”

The chief ministers of Utter Pradesh, Delhi and Bihar, namely, Akhilesh Yadav, Arvind Kejriwal and Nitish Kumar were present at the ceremony along with the representatives of the DKM and the TDP. 

Commenting on the Front, Mamata Banerjee said: “I have always wanted to form a Front. It is a good platform to discuss important issues. Also, by interaction the states are benefitted,” she said, adding “I am too bogged down with work and my priority will be to ensure development of West Bengal. However, I will provide all support they said.”

Reacting sharply on the proposal to form a Third Front, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said there was a proposal to form a Federal Front but it did not work. “We have been hearing about the formation of a Third Front but it did not work.”