Jharkhand Vikas Mocha chief Babulal Marandi on Wednesday took part in a convention of ‘secular’ political parties in Delhi. Nearly 15 regional parties under the leadership of left Front stood together on a common platform and tried to drive home a point that an alternate political front can be made apart from the UPA and the NDA in the election year. Marandi talked over phone to
The Pioneer briefly on the idea behind such a forum and its future.
What was the purpose behind organising such a convention of so many regional partiesIJ
It was a good initiative. So many parties came together on a single platform. Bringing so many parties together at present moment is a big thing.
Did the convention serve any purposeIJ
It did. It at least broke the myth and what is prevailing as a general understanding in the country that parties could not come together and work together. Feeling is that there are just two amalgamations and no other can stand on a single platform.
What kind of future do you see for the fronts like thisIJ
Future of this should be good. But what I think that no one expects instant result out of any such move. This is an era of ideological brainstorming.
Will the cooperation take shape of a kind of political coalition in the country and also in JharkhandIJ
It is too far a goal. At present there is no such thinking behind this. Presently we are thinking to deal with growing communalism in the country as we can see riots taking place every now and then. The convention saw no talks on forming coalition, front or fighting polls together.
But the convention did not include regional stalwarts like lalu Prasad or Ram Vilas Paswan. It was to the organisers (CPM). They invited whom they wanted to and as per the future calculations.