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`Khurana should quit BJP, form Third Front'

Staff Reporter

Bidhuri also calls for ban on Advani's yatra

NEW DELHI: Nationalist Congress Party MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri on Friday said his party and other like-minded secular parties were ready to join hands with former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana provided he quits the Bharatiya Janata Party and denounces communal politics.

"Mr. Khurana should leave the saffron party and lay the foundation for the Third Front in Delhi," he said.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Bidhuri said he had had a long meeting with Mr. Khurana in the morning regarding various issues including closure of shops in the Capital's residential areas, displacement of `rehri', `khomcha' and `patri' traders and the ongoing demolitions across the Capital.

"Janata Dal (Secular) president Shoaib Iqbal and I are ready to take up the cause of lakhs of affected people with Mr. Khurana but he would first have to shun the communal politics being promoted by the BJP," Mr. Bidhuri added.

During the discussion, it was made clear to Mr. Khurana that any future relationship would be based on his breaking all ties with the BJP.

Lashing out at the senior BJP leader L.K. Advani "for trying to whip up communal passions throughout the country through his proposed rath yatra", Mr. Bidhuri said the only aim of the rath yatra was to divide people on the basis of religion and incite communal passions so that riots break out in various parts of the country and the BJP could once again reap a rich political harvest.

"In order to maintain communal harmony and peace, it would be in the best interest of the country that the proposed rath yatra of Mr. Advani is banned."

Turning his ire at the Delhi BJP leaders, Mr. Bidhuri said they had failed to perform their role effectively and their actions suggested that their personal interests were more important than that of the common man. "It is also shocking that instead of taking up the cause of the lakhs of affected people in Delhi who are on the verge of losing their livelihood and employment, the Central BJP leaders were busy preparing for rath yatras to serve their own selfish interests."

"We will whole-heartedly stand by Mr. Khurana after he shuns the communal forces and joins the struggle for the rights of the people of Delhi," Mr. Bidhuri added.

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