Third front in Indian politics...

Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav has, worryingly for the Centre, drawn attention to the importance of regional chieftains in installing a government at the Centre just days after the DMK pulled out of the UPA.

After the decline of the Left in national politics, Mulayam has arrogated to himself the role of prime mover for the so-called third front formation. This was evident on Monday as the SP leader said at a function in Sangli, Maharashtra, that coalition politics had come to stay and called upon "likeminded parties" to join hands.

He said, coalition government is the need of the country as no single party can come to power at Centre on its own strength. It is high time that parties, having the common goal to achieve social change, come together as in Maharashtra, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. It is obvious that he is weighing his own chances as leader of a political formation that will be an alternative to the Congress and the BJP. He seemed to have the backing of some other regional parties.

NCP leader D.P. Tripathy said, "Many secular parties will come together. Our effort is that all secular parties come on one platform." Mulayam , who has spoken repeatedly about early elections, is wasting no time. Sources said that he has deputed Ram Gopal Yadav to meet leaders of likely third front partners like the Biju Janata Dal, the DMK and the Rashtriya Lok Dal.

But both the Congress and the BJP were quick to dismiss the SP leader's comments. Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh said the Congress was not bothered by the remarks. BJP leader Balbir Punj said, "Third or fourth front will continue to be in news for the wrong reasons but it will be a non-starter. I don't think any such coalition will come up. "This development came amid reports that Mulayam was preparing to soon withdraw support from the UPA.

Mulayam's bravado in floating the third front idea barely camouflages the fact that satraps, despite their bargaining power, must have the backing of one principal national party - the Congress or the BJP. As for the regional chieftains, regardless of their keenness to get to the national stage, their primary focus will remain their own states.