Left will be left with little choice, hopes Congress

NEW DELHI: Even as it tapped different players to bolster its numbers, Congress on Friday was banking on impressive numbers to neutralise any challenge to its bid to retain power at the Centre. It is hoping for setback of the Left, which would force it to rethink its current strategy.

���The Left will be left with lesser number of seats than 2004 and what political manoeuvring can they do with that is yet to be seen. If the exit polls are correct, then a certain situation will come into play,��� party leader Kapil Sibal said.
Although the leadership had already got into the act of corralling UPA constituents and allies, it claimed that it was not worried about the fourth front as it was ���a Congress morcha (front)���.

Mr Sibal also made light of any challenge that the third front might pose. ���There is no third front. Before the polls it was just an idea, and after the polls, it will not be a reality,��� Mr Sibal said. Opening its doors to all potential allies, Congress reiterated its offer of a secular certificate. ���Secular credentials of the parties will be decided after May 16 when they take their positions,��� he said. Both Congress and BJP have been hard at work trying to wean away constituents of the third front ��� AIADMK, BSP and TDP.

Nonetheless, Congress attempted to throw the ball back in the court of the third and fourth fronts. Pointing out that the division in the ���secular camp��� had hurt the secular enterprise, Mr Sibal said: ���Secular parties contesting each other has affected voting, often in favour of the NDA���.

Congress maintained that despite the division in the ���secular��� force, the NDA was nowhere near forming the government. ���There are three secular fronts ��� one having Congress, NCP and other parties, the other is fourth front comprising RJD, LJP and SP and the last led by Left with some more parties. All three are anti-BJP . BJP is nowhere close to power as three fourths of the polity is against it,��� Mr Sibal said.