Defence Minister A K Antony has said that the CPM claim that the Third Front will form the Government at the Centre after the election is just a day-dream. Addressing a “face-to-face” programme organised by the Press Club here on Sunday, he said the CPM would get only a dozen seats in the coming election. He said the chances of a third UPA government is emerging when the country is nearing the elections.
Antony said that only the Congress-led Government could protect the secularism and integrity of the country. Two terms of the UPA Government brought all-round development in the country, if gone by the acceptance of India at the international-level and the respectability received for NRIs even in countries like US and Europe, he said. The improvement in the standard of living of the people is another achievement of the UPA Government, he said. Ruling out the possibility of a BJP-led government at the Centre, he said the chances of BJP-led NDA government at the Centre are bleak considering the latest trend in electioneering as an indication.
For the second time in the history of the country, after the 1977 election, the RSS and other Sangh Parivar affiliates are managing the election for the BJP, Antony said. With the support of country’s leading industrial houses, who were given free land, tax holidays and other incentives in Gujarat, Narendra Modi has sought their patronage for becoming the next PM, he said. However, the influence of BJP is limited to a few north Indian states, hence the chances are dim for reaching the magical figure for forming the government, he said.
On the winning chances in the state, Antony said that the development programmes of the UDF Government is a role model for the country. Hence, the people across the state are favouring the UDF and this will reflect in the results.