Regional parties against dissolution of Lok Sabha

The Federal Front, comprising four regional parties of the United Front, Monday opposed any move to dissolve the Lok Sabha following the fall of the H D Deve Gowda government.

A joint statement was issued by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Tamil Maanila Congress President G K Moopanar. The statement assumes significance in the wake of a move by some UF leaders to dissolve the Lok Sabha to pave the way for mid-term polls.

''After a review of the events, subsequent to the withdrawal of support to the United Front government at the Centre by the Congress party, the Federal Front leaders have not favoured the dissolution of the eleventh Lok Sabha,'' it said.

The Federal Front leaders, who met at the Tamil Nadu Bhavan here Sunday morning, also included Union Minister of Industries Murasoli Maran, Union Minister of Steel and Mines B P Baishya.

The Federal Front leaders reviewed the current political situation and the long-term scenario. They recalled the constructive role played by their four parties, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam the Asom Gana Parishad, the Telugu Desam Party and the TMC, in the formation of the United Front and, subsequently, a government at the Centre.

The Federal Front leaders felt the regional parties had been successful in voicing and striving for fulfillment of the aspirations of the people because they were close to the people. They said the role played by regional parties in national politics during the last 10 months could encourage participation of such parties in policy-making and their implementation at the national level.

''The Federal Front leaders have recalled with satisfaction that under the... United Front government not only the state governments run by the constituents of United Front but also other state governments have got an opportunity to play an active and positive role in evolving the national agenda and its implementation, thereby redressing to a large extent the grievances of the state governments... This task needs to be continued further till its logical conclusion,'' the statement said.

The Federal Front have expressed satisfaction over the achievements of the United Front government at the Centre during the last 10 months and complimented the government for having striven sincerely to address themselves to the basic problems confronting the people of our country.

The statement said the four constituents of the Federal Front would continue to strive for nation-building as members of the United Front, and to fulfill the objectives for which the United Front was formed.

The leaders also discussed the quality of a possible Congress response to the Front in forming the new government. They also maintained that there would be neither any coalition with the Congress nor would they extend support to the Congress or the Bhartiya Janata Party to form a government. A letter to this effect from the UF would be submitted to President Shanker Dayal Sharma soon, the sources said.

Throughout the day the Front and Congress leaders were in touch with each other informally, to explore the possibility of avoiding mid-term polls. Front Convenor N Chandrababu Naidu, and other UF leaders, also had discussions with Congress President Sitaram Kesri.