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Third front in tatters in Rajasthan

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR OCT. 29. The merger of the Janata Dal (United) and the Samata Party at the national level is not likely to improve the prospects of both in the coming Assembly elections in Rajasthan. For the Samata Party is non-existent here while the Janata Dal(U) which has three sitting MLAs --all in the tribal district of Banswara -- is fighting a battle for its survival.

Of course, if the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) of the Haryana Chief Minister, Om Prakash Chautala too joins the group in a broad alliance -- if not merger -- the visibility of the parties would go up in Rajasthan though this too is not likely to fetch them any extra seat. Moreover this formation is not to get the slot of a third front in the State after the Congress and the Opposition BJP.

The position of the Janata Dal (U) has weakened further in its own pockets in Banswara and Dungarpur in South Rajasthan after the 1998 Assembly elections as this period witnessed the passing away of Mama Baleshwar Dayal and Keshav Bhrata. Without both the Mama and the Bhrata, socialist leaders with considerable clout among the tribal population, the Janata Dal (U) is feeling unsteady.

During the past five years many senior leaders of the Janata Dal have been keeping a low profile. One of its former presidents, Arjun Dehta, is with the Janata Dal (Secular - which is without any representation in the Assembly now - while another former president Jaspal Singh is fighting elections on the INLD ticket this time.

As for the Samata Party, most of its leaders - once close to George Fernandes - have either joined other parties with Socialist affiliations or have left politics altogether. The former president of the Samata Party in the State, Pandit Ramkishen, is now the president of the Samajwadi Party while the former Secretary General, Chandra Mehta, has left politics.

The only leader with some political background in the State Samata Party now is its president, Gopal Pacherwal, who has represented the Tonk (SC) Lok Sabha constituency and Kesoraipatan Assembly seat in Bundi district in the past. Mr. Pacherwal, who fought from the Kesoraipatan seat unsuccessfully in 1998 has announced his candidature from there this time as well.

The INLD which has already announced candidates for seven seats in the State has its focus on the Jat dominated districts bordering Haryana such as Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Sikar and Jhunjhunnu. Both the Janata Dal (U) and INLD are desirous of an alliance with the BJP in Rajasthan.

"Talks are on in Delhi with the BJP leadership on a possible alliance," revealed Fateh Singh, president of the Janata Dal (U) talking on telephone from his constituency, Kushalgarh today. As the merger has come last minute on the eve of the elections there seems to be some confusion about the whole development. Mr. Singh did not sound any enthusiastic with the outcome of the merger. "What presence the Samata Party has in Rajasthan" he asked.

"We are still waiting to know which name the new party would assume and what would be the party symbol in the coming elections," Mr.Singh, a former Minister in the BJP-Janata Dal Government led by Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, said. As such the party had plans to fight 40 seats but this could be reduced drastically once there is some understanding with the BJP or other parties, he noted.

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