Elections 2014: Narendra Modi is avoiding a direct attack on the federal front

New Delhi: BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has been hitting out at the third front, but he may have to worry about the emergence of a federal front, which is likely to comprise of the Trinamul Congress, AIADMK and the BJD.

Mr Modi, incidentally, is not at his sharpest best in attacking the likely constituents of the federal front, apparently keeping a window open for post-poll manoeuvring. If pre-poll surveys are to be believed, the constituents of the federal front are gaining in strength, and not those who are in the third front.

With Trinamul leader Mamata Banerjee, BJD’s Naveen Patnaik and AIADMK’s J. Jayalalithaa already in strong positions in their states, their combined strength in terms of geographical dominance amounts to almost about 100 Lok Sabha seats.

Since SP’s Mulayam Singh Yadav is already part of the third front, the proposed federal front opens a door for his archrival, BSP leader Mayawati. Ms Banerjee has already held talks with Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSR Con-gress and if Ms Mayawati joins hands with the leaders of the federal front, the combined tally could reasonably look at 150 seats.

Even if the BJP with Mr Modi at the helm manages to win 200-odd seats, his dream of becoming the Prime Minister could well hinge on the “whims of teen deviyan (three ladies — Maya, Mamata and Jayalalithaa),” feel political observers.

The 10-party third front, which comprises Mulayam Singh Yadav, JD(U)’s Nitish Kumar and four Left parties, may also put up resistance in Mr Modi’s march as the Congress, in a post-poll scenario, would prefer a third or a federal front government rather than allowing the BJP to take over power.

Even Mr Modi, in his public speeches, has been acknowledging the reality of alliance politics and government, and appears to have deliberately avoided direct attack on the federal front leaders. Instead, he has been directing his attacks on third front.