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Third Front a myth; a dark horse can’t be ruled out in 2014: Ajit Singh

Ajit Singh has an uncanny knack of sensing opportunities in politics. No wonder, the US-educated Jat and self-proclaimed kisan leader has aligned with coalitions of all hues. While speaking on Zee Media’s Bharat Bhagya Vidhata, Singh talked about politics, Muzaffarnagar riots, society, economy and youth. This time he is sensing a dark horse to take charge in 2014.

Ajit Singh has an uncanny knack of sensing opportunities in politics. No wonder, the US-educated Jat and self-proclaimed kisan leader has aligned with coalitions of all hues. While speaking on Zee Media’s Bharat Bhagya Vidhata, Singh talked about politics, Muzaffarnagar riots, society, economy and youth. This time he is sensing a dark horse to take charge in 2014. Zee Research Group What hurts the Third Front the most in today’s India is the lack of a towering pan-Indian leader of Chaudhary Charan Singh or V P Singh’s stature, said Ajit Singh. While the civil aviation minister thinks that it is difficult to assemble Third Front due to its inherent contradictions, he didn’t rule out the possibility of a dark horse like H D Deve Gowda or I K Gujral emerging to lead regional parties in the 2014 post-poll scenario. Voters across India, feels the RLD chief, are disenchanted with political parties and their policies.
“There is no hope for a Third Front. That’s because they don’t have a pan-Indian leader like Chaudhary Charan Singh or VP Singh’s stature. Most parties are opposed to each other. Take for instance, Mulayam and Mayawati don’t see eye to eye. How will it work and be assembled?” declared Singh on Zee Media’s Nishane Pe guest anchored by Ashutosh Rana. While outrightly dismissing the possibility of a Third Front, the civil aviation minister added to political grapevine by not denying the possibility of a non-Congress and non-BJP government at the centre after 2014 elections. “A dark horse like Devegowda or Gujral may emerge after 2014 elections. He could be from non-Congress and non-BJP led front.” On a different question, however, Singh replied that only a BJP or Congress-led coalition can provide stable government. But, a good part of the discussion focused on Muzaffarnagar riots. The region comes under the RLD sphere of influence and Jat-Muslim combination has received a major setback due to recent riots. “Muzaffarnagar riots are the result of Mulayam Singh Yadav’s ambition to become the prime minister. He knows the performance of Akhilesh government in the state cannot win him seats. So he has made a deal with the BJP and other Sangh Parivar outfits to foment trouble in the area and polarise voters,” alleged Singh. Detailing events that led to the riots, the union minister claimed it was a result of meticulous planning between the SP and BJP. He, in fact, stressed that from last few months, even simple law and order issues were being given communal colour. “Look at what happened in Ayodhya with the Koshi Yatra or in Noida. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad is a non-entity in UP. But, Mulayam courted them and gave them space. In Noida, where they dismissed IAS officer, Durgashakti Nagpal, for creating trouble when she was acting against sand mafia. The SP government has turned non-communal events of action against sand mafia and a minor religious observance into these communal confrontations,” he further stressed. On being probed by anchor Rana, Singh, however, denied the charge by Akhilesh Yadav that all political parties including RLD promoted its political interests during the tension. “First, the administration failed to act quickly on the eve-teasing case. No action was taken during the first 24 hours giving the the impression that the police was discriminatory. But, on August 31, the Mahapanchayat held by the Jats, our party’s leaders and activists were prevented from speaking, and only BJP activists were allowed on the stage.” Is the entry of educated people in politics a solution to end India’s many woes including communal and caste violence? RLD chief, who studied abroad and returned to work among his people, said “While it is true that education gives perspective, it doesn’t guarantee whether educated people will act honestly and without prejudice of caste, creed and other differences. Similarly, can you say uneducated people are bad or more corrupt?” But, still education helps. “The only difference between an educated and uneducated is that education empowers people to better propagate their ideas and opinions on issues,” he added. On youth and demographic dividend, Singh cautioned that we need to create more opportunities for the people especially educated lot. Due to very little scope for further fragmentation of the agricultural land, youths who were earlier willing to return to villages can’t go back. Nishane Pe airs every Friday @ 10pm.