KALABURAGI: The formation of the Nitish Kumar led coalition government in Bihar beating the formidable BJP has raised hopes of the revival of a ‘secular front’ as an alternative to BJP in the state.
With a view to launch such an outfit, prominent leaders of the erstwhile Janata Parivar, who are in different parties and some even out of politics, are meeting in Bengaluru on Thursday. This initiative to bring together these leaders, was taken by former Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council and Aland MLA B.R. Patil and former Minister Basavaraj Horatti.
Mr Patil as well as Mr Horatti are learnt to have contacted Parivar leaders such as Dr M.P. Nadagouda, Mr N. Thippanna, Mr Jayaprakash Hegde, Mr Ekanthaiah, Mr Vaijanath Patil, Mr Kantha, Mr N.S. Khed, Mr A B Patil and others. “We are expecting about 60-70 prominent leaders to attend this important meeting”, Mr Patil informed this paper.
According to him, there is enough space for a ‘secular’ alternative to both Congress and BJP. “We have a legacy left behind by leaders like S Nijalingappa, Ramakrishna Hegde, J.H. Patel and S.R. Bommai, who led a secular alternative to both these parties in the state. But unfortunately this alternative has been weakened for various reasons. The way the Congress is running the affairs of the state today, there is a greater chance of providing an alternative to the BJP”, Mr Patil added.
“Like Bihar, Karnataka has strong socialist roots and a long history of secular politics. After Bihar and Gujarat, it was in Karnataka where the JP movement was very strong leading to the formation of the first non-Congress government in the state. There are a large number of secular voters here.
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