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We'll give dasha and disha to next govt: Fourth Front [Hindustan Times, New Delhi](Hindustan Times (India) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Apr. 10--SAFAI (ETAWAH) -- The new trinity rising on India's political horizon put up its first show of strength in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday. Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan addressed thousands-strong rally in Saifai village, the Samajwadi Party chief's homeground. The key to the next government at the Centre, the trio declared, was with them. "We are united once again and no power on this earth can now separate the three of us... We are going to form the next government at the Centre," said Prasad, the chief of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). "Three brothers have come together, not only to win Lok Sabha elections, but also to fight communalism...We will show our strength in the cow belt." Mulayam added: "In fact, let me tell you without the support of three of us, no government at the Centre could be formed." Paswan joined in, saying: "We will have the arithmetic...UP, Bihar and Jharkhand account for 134 Lok Sabha seats...We will decide the dasha (shape) and disha (direction) of the new government." Significantly, unlike its first press conference a week ago in Lucknow, the three did not hail the UPA as the next government or Manmohan Singh as the next Prime Minister, which some warm-up speakers said could even be Mulayam. But missing from all this action were Samajwadi general secretaries Amar Singh and Sanjay Dutt. A miffed Amar Singh had threatened to quit the party just two days ago over disagreements with leader Azam Khan, but made a U-turn, it is believed, after Mulayam intervened. But the two, reports said, were present at the next rally in Bareilly. Saifai was the first stop for the trio in the state on Thursday. Three more rallies were scheduled for Bareilly, Gorakhpur and Varanasi. At the Saifai rally, Prasad asked the people to "free" Mulayam from Uttar Pradesh politics -- apparently hinting that he could play a role at the Centre. "Please free Mulayam Singh Yadav from here. Once we are united now, we would ensure that your candidates win and the coalition wins," he said. Paswan joined in saying he and Prasad "were standing like rocks" to support Mulayam. "No one can separate us." Striking an emotional chord with the audience, he said: "People here have taken to the streets for Mulayam Singh Yadav and no power on earth can stop his chariot." Turning fiery, Prasad said: "We will not let communal forces to come to power. BJP is again promising Ram temple. PMs will come and...go, but we will not let communal forces divide the country. The wheel of law will crush Thakerays and Varun Gandhis..." |