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Third Front not now, says Mulayam Singh

Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav today virtually ruled out the formation of a Third Front in the near future, saying, ''The prospects of such a front getting a majority in elections are bleak.''

Yadav, who came to Calcutta this morning on the way to Raiganj to attend the state conference of the West Bengal Samajwadi Party, was speaking to reporters at the city airport.

Asked to comment on Basu's proposal to support the Congress in its efforts to form a government, Yadav said the time was not yet ripe.

''Moreover, my party will have to discuss the issue internally before taking any decision,'' he said.

Yadav said, ''We are now concentrating on strengthening our party in West Bengal before demanding more seats from the Left Front for the assembly polls in 2001.''

Replying to a question on the allegation against him regarding the misuse of official plane when he was defence minister, the Samajwadi Party leader said in the past many defence ministers had used Indian Air Force planes for unofficial purposes.

He said, ''A minister's visit to any place is always official. There cannot be much of a difference between a private visit and an official one. When a minister is meeting the people he is acting in an official capacity.''

Yadav also discussed the issue of the Third Front with Jyoti Basu at the airport.

UNI

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