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Ajit Singh asks Congress to take the lead in ousting BJP

Ajit Singh, president of the revived Lok Dal, today sought a lead role by the Congress to unite secular forces in states going to assembly polls next month, and said non-BJP parties should sink their differences to ensure the defeat of the ''fascist BJP'' at the hustings.

Singh told newspersons in New Delhi that his party would work hard to pre-empt any split in the secular votes and disclosed that the Lok Dal was in consultations with the Congress for the coming polls in Delhi and Rajasthan.

He made it clear that the Lok Dal would not contest the polls just for sake of contesting.

Singh, however, said his party was better placed than the Congress in at least 25 assembly segments in Rajasthan and a similar assessment for Delhi seats was underway.

The Lok Dal leader said the Congress should take immediate initiative to bring all secular parties under a single umbrella and ''we will lend our support.''

In reply to a question, Singh visualised that the third front mooted by the left parties at its recent congress at Calcutta was faced with a series of contradictions such as the existence of two fronts (RLM and remnants of the disintegrated United Front).

Harkishen Singh Surjeet should first bring those fronts together while aiming for the support of others, he said.

He was critical of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his comment on ''mafia raj" in Bihar and said before making such remarks Vajpayee should have assessed the situation in the BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh where ministers had links with dreaded killer Sriprakash Shukla as per police statements.

About Sahib Singh Verma's exit from the Delhi chief minister's office, Ajit Singh said the BJP was the party of neo-rich and neo-elites and Sahib Singh was a misfit there.

The replacement of the Delhi chief minister on the poll eve has established that the BJP has openly admitted its misgovernance during the past five years, he added.

UNI

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