Federal Front a tested, tried and failed political concept: Arun Jaitley

KOLKATA: Even as attempts are made to resurrect the idea of Federal Front before the 2019 election, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley called it a ‘tested, tried and failed’ political concept. Reacting to TMC MP Derek O Brien’s comment saying, Kolkata to Delhi is a two hour ten minutes flight, Jaitley said, some journeys are ‘bumpy’ and ‘not an easy one’. The finance minister was addressing media following Mamata Banerjee’s swearing in ceremony in Kolkata.

“Some journeys are bumpy. A twohour journey is not an easy one too. BJP welcomes anybody for coming as the Opposition. But, the alternative alliance must have a stable anchor.The anchor needs to have national presence. Past instances reveal that the anchors of such alliances were narrow in its support base for which it failed. The last such example, the country witnessed 20 years ago when United Front came in power. For that, the nation had to pay a price,” he said. Adding on the Federal Front issue he said, “We have no doubt that BJP and RJD are staunchly opposed by each other, we have no doubts that BJP and Trinamool are staunchly opposed. But, now it is to be decided by Congress and the Federal Front who is opposed to whom. Federal Front is a tested, tried and failed idea.”

Clarifying BJP’s stand on Trinamool Congress in Bengal, he said his party will of course remain an Opposition to Trinamool, though the political opposition would never affect the relationship and cooperation between the state and the centre. Jaitley, however, reiterated his stand on GST as Mamata Banerjee said in several occasions, her party would provide issue based support to BJP in Parliament.