Lucknow: The People's Democratic Front of Muslim political parties, and the Jan Morcha of the former Prime Minister, V.P. Singh, have come together to upset Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav's applecart in next year's State Assembly elections.

Their commonality of purpose came to the fore at the workers' convention of the PDF here on Sunday, with some constituents of the Jan Morcha, such as the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), Indian Justice Party, Nationalist Congress Party and National Loktantrik Party present. General secretary of CPI-ML Akhilendra Pratap Singh said, "the People's Democratic Front will be playing an important role in the days to come in Uttar Pradesh."

Sunday's PDF convention was called to mobilise public opinion in favour of Muslim religious leaders in active politics. Mr. Singh said the PDF was in direct touch with Badruddin Ajmal of the Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF). Soon, the Muslim and democratic forces would constitute a national-democratic front.

Ignoring interests

Addressing the convention, PDF chairman Maulana Kalbe Jawad attacked the present regime for ignoring the interests of the minority community. He said Muslims had always been used as a vote bank by political parties, and were given nothing in return.

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