New Delhi: Janata Dal(United), which walked out of NDA last year, on Sunday said it will strive for formation of a "Third force" though there are "internal contradictions" that act as a hindrance in bringing all non-Congress non-BJP parties together.
The JD(U) also slammed its erstwhile ally BJP for "breaking the Opposition unity" against UPA and ruled out any truck with Congress in the next Lok Sabha polls.
In an interview, party President Sharad Yadav scotched speculation of JD(U) aligning with the BJP again after the Lok Sabha polls, saying the parting of ways happened on ideological issues and there is ?no question? of their joining hands again.
The JD(U), which seems to be waging a lonely battle in Bihar after walking out of NDA, is confident that despite internal contradictions a "Third force" will emerge after the next Lok Sabha polls of which the party said will be a key part.
Yadav admitted that there are "internal contradictions" that act as a hindrance in bringing all non-Congress, non-BJP parties together but at the same time cited examples of their coming together to form governments in the past.
Stating that JD(U), Samajwadi Party and JD(S) have already come together, he said that talks are on with other parties to enlist their support.
"There is a big political force in the country minus BJP and Congress. There is a need to bring that in social debate. The strength of non-BJP, non-Congress Opposition is not less.
"If the country has to be put on right track,?this Third force is required," he said.
Yadav`s party colleague and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar yesterday said efforts to form a new "block" of parties opposed to the BJP and the Congress is all set to gain momentum with a meeting of leaders in Delhi on February 5.
Talking about the difficulties in bringing all regional non-Congress, non BJP parties together, he admitted, "Yes there are some internal?contradictions in states.
Left and Mamata cannot go together in West Bengal, SP and BSP in Uttar Pradesh or DMK and AIADMK in Tamil Nadu."
"But the experience of last 65 years shows that while there is internal contradiction, there is also a broad agreement on crucial issues."
The same parties had come together when we organized Bharat Bandh on issues like ?price hike thrice, he added.
"We are trying to find a way and to begin with JD (U), Samajwadi Party and?Janata Dal(Secular) have come together. More parties will join. We are trying and confident that it will happen."
"People do come together despite inherent contradictions," Yadav said, adding that his party strongly believes that "an umbrella alliance of non-Congress and non-BJP parties" is the need of the hour in the given scenario.
"Yes there are contradictions but we formed a government in 1977 (Janata Party government), 1989 ( VP Singh-led National Front government) and in 1996 (H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujaral led Third Front Governments).
Despite the problems with the continuance of these governments, we did good work," Yadav said.
Yadav also cited the initiative taken by Left parties leading to a convention of communalism and attended by 17 parties including AIADMK, BJD and AGP--the parties which the BJP has been eyeing for support.
He said that there was "no wave for BJP" in the country when asked whether he sees a Narendra Modi wave.
JD(U) had walked out of NDA in June last year opposing the elevation of Modi in BJP, who was finally declared the main Opposition party`s Prime Ministerial candidate.
Yadav, who was the convener of NDA before the BJP-JDU alliance snapped last year, rejected as "far fetched and baseless" the speculation that JD (U) will finally join hands with the BJP after the Lok Sabha polls.
"This is absolutely wrong. We separated on principles. Our alliance was with the BJP as per a national agenda arrived during Vajpayee ji`s time. When they decided to shift away from that national agenda, we parted our ways.
Now the question does not arise of joining hands with them after we parted ways on basic principles.
Such talks are rumour and have absolutely no base," the JD(U) President said.
Accusing the BJP of "breaking the Opposition unity", Yadav vehemently denied the speculation that his party could again shake hands with the BJP after the Lok Sabha polls.
"BJP ruptured the complete Opposition unity that was built assiduously against the misrule of UPA. They spoilt that wave."
Yadav also alleged that BJP believed in dividing society.
"According to them the nation belongs only to the majority community," he added.
On the other side is Congress, which ruled the country for ten years and one after another corruption scandal happened.
"Both are not in the interest of the country and people will see it.
So Third Force will always remain relevant," he said.
