SP, SAD invite Mamata, D. Raja rules out emergence of third front

New Delhi, Mar 11 (ANI): In wake of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) inviting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for their swearing-in ceremonies, Communist Party of India (CPI) lawmaker D. Raja on Sunday ruled out the emergence of the third front, and said the emerging role of the regional parties have to be acknowledged.

"I do not want to foresee. I do not see it as the emergence of the third front. It is too early to comment. We will have to wait and see how the developments are going to take place. I do not see it as some kind of third front that is coming up today or tomorrow because at the time of swearing-in ceremonies it happens, people invite leaders from different parties. They do go and participate in the swearing-in ceremonies. And to read something more political in this is too early now. It is pre-mature," he told the media here.

Raja, however, said the regional parties are a reality in India, and the emerging role of the regional parties has to be acknowledged.

"It is too early to read into these developments because it is too pre-mature to come to conclusions like that. What is happening, there is a political reality in our country, that is regional parties have become a political reality. Regional parties have come to stay and we will have to see how regional parties while articulating the aspirations of the people of that particular region are going to fulfill their national responsibilities," said Raja.

"And at the same time, it is also a challenge to the national party unless they understand the aspirations of the people living in different states, the demands of the people living in different states. National parties cannot simply have their say in national politics, they cannot take the regions or regional parties and people living in different states for granted. So, national parties will have to address the concerns of the different states. At the same time, the regional parties will have to play a responsible role at the national level also," he added.

The Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh and Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab have inviting Banerjee, the UPA's most troublesome ally at the Centre, to attend the swearing-in of their respective governments.

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's son Akhilesh Yadav, who played a major role in his party's victory in the recently concluded Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, will be sworn in as the chief minister on March 15.

Parkash Singh Badal will be sworn in as the chief minister of Punjab on March 14.he SAD-BJP combine returned to power in Punjab by defying the expected anti-incumbency factor. (ANI)