AAP leader says open to Third Front, party distances itself

A senior Aam Aadmi Party leader on Sunday said they may extend issue based support to a Third Front government but the party swiftly distanced itself saying there was "no question" of it backing "any front".

"Yes, we may extend issue based support if there is a situation that demands our support to a Third Front government," AAP leader Gopal Rai told PTI.

In a statement later in the evening, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party categorically ruled out any such possibility saying "it cannot and will not" be a part of any front which could include parties whose leaders are involved in large scale corruption.

"There is no question of the Aam Aadmi Party extending support to any front after the declaration of the Lok Sabha election results and the party strongly refutes news reports attributed to it in this regard," the party said.

The talk of possible cobbling together of "secular forces" to stop BJP from coming to power has gained momentum in the last couple of weeks with Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and a number of other leaders exuding confidence of such a formation, expecting that Congress would not do well to form UPA III.

Rai, considered close to Kejriwal, however, said a decision on future role of the party will be taken after analysing the outcome of the election.

"Our movement is for common people and support will be definitely issue-based. Final decision on future course of action will be taken after May 16 when results will be declared," he said.

Taking a different line from Rai, the AAP said it has contested the Lok Sabha elections to "present a model of alternative politics before the people of the country and any speculation about the party supporting any third or fourth front is completely misleading and contrary to the party’s stated position".

"The AAP cannot and will not be a part of any front which could include parties whose leaders are involved in large scale corruption, neither will the AAP extend support to any such front," it said.

It said "AAP will prefer to sit in opposition rather than be a part of extend support to any combination/front which compromises with corruption, since this is against the core values for which this party was formed."

Arvind Kejriwal also tweeted that there was no question of Third Front, saying "rumours" are being spread.

AAP has fielded candidates in 422 Lok Sabha seats and Kejriwal had earlier claimed that his party will win at least 100 seats.

The AAP had in a stunning electoral debut won 28 seats in Delhi Assembly elections in December last year and a number of senior party leaders said they will spring a "surprise" in the Lok Sabha polls as well.