Lalu critical of Didi’s rule, bats for Left

Rules out Third Front, says too many become PM aspirants.

Former Chief Minister of Bihar and president of Rashtriya Janata Dal, Lalu Prasad, on Friday criticised Mamata Banerjee for the "deteriorating" law and order and "stalled" development work in the state and said if the CPM comes to power in West Bengal, it would rule for another fifty years.

Speaking on the sidelines of a programme in Kolkata, Lalu said: "We are hearing a lot about deteriorating law and order situation in the state. Iss bar CPM rehega to uthega nahi. Pachas baras rahega (This time if CPM comes back to power, it will stay for another 50 years)."

He said Trinamool Congress should not have broken its ties with the Congress and should have stayed with the UPA II government. "When Trinamool was with the UPA II, some developments had taken place. The Trinamool would have been in a better position had it stayed with the Congress,"he added.

He slammed Mamata for giving financial aids to only Imams and muezzins. "If Imams can be given financial aid, then why not the same be given to purohits (priests)," he said.

Stating that the politics of the country has been divide into two poles — secular and communal — the former railway minister said there was no possibility of the formation of a third front in the country anymore.

"Desh me koi third front nahi banega. Third front janm leta hai to chaar ya panch din me khatam ho jata hai (There will be no third front in the country. Third front dies within four to five days after its birth)," he said.

Ridiculing the talk of a third front, of which he said he too had a "bitter-sweet" taste, Lalu said that the moment the third front is formed, there is a clamour among the leaders to become the Prime Ministerial candidate. "When third front forms, names of one and a half dozen politicians emerge as prospective candidates for the post of Prime Minister. Maine to suna hay Didiji (Mamata) bhi PM banengi (Even I had heard that Mamata too will become the PM if third front is formed)," he added.

... contd.

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