NEW DELHL: Having lost the psychological advantage to the BJP, the third front leaders last week gave the charge of Keeping the 180 MPs together to the Andhra Pradesh chief minister and Telugu Desam leader, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, a veteran of many a political battle.

Faced with the inevitability of a BJP. Government at the Center, the third Front leaders is worried that some of their MPS might get lured to walk over the other side. ‘

The Tamil Maanila Congress leader, Mr G.K. Moopanar, said various ways were being discussed to make the plan “fool proof.”

Mr. Naidu said he was confident that the third front would remain together, He auributed the speculation about the vulnerability of the combine to inducement as rumors exuding confidence, he said: “They are trying but we are beyond the reach of horse traders.” Mr Naidu. An ace organizer had in 1984 helped Mr. N.T. Rama Rao to keep his MLAs together when. The Congress (I) masterminded a palace coup. At that time they were taken to Bangalore to keep the flock together.

A similar exercise was repeated in 1983, when Mr, Naidu split TDP and kept his group together by continuing the MLAS to a hotel in the state capital.

The change in venue from New Bihar Bhawan and Karnataka Bhawan to AP Bhawan last week reflected the importance attached to Mr. Naidu.

Soon after the evening meeting was over, the Asom Gana Parishad representative cajoled Mr, Naidu from not going back to Hyderabad till May 31 as an embarrassed Mr. Naidu looked on. Mr. Naidu said the BJP had been given a scope 10 indulge in horse trading. The leaders drew up agitation plans to keep the pressure on their flock to stay together.

The groups that look most susceptible to the BJP is the AGP, besides aha ID! BULA GP representative reasserted that the party would remain with the third front at all costs, Mr, Naidu sought to substantiate the AGP Representative’s statement when he said that the AGP leader and the new Assam chief minister, Mr. Prafulla Mahanta, was in touch with him, The meeting was attended by the Bihar chief minister, Mr. Laloo Prasad Yadav, the Samajwadi Party chief, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav, the CPI(M) general secretary, Mr. Harkishan Singh Surjeet, CPI general secretary, Mr. Indrajit Gupta, ‘Congress(I) leader, Mr. Arjun Singh, TMC leaders, Mr.G.K, Moopanar and Mr P. Chidambaram, MP Vikas Congress leader, Mr. Scindia.

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 22, 1996