To be secular or not to be

With a year left for the next general elections, the country’s politics is at a crossroads with the emergence of the Bahujan Samaj Party as the B-team of the BJP and the weakening of so-called national political parties. There is no possibility of national parties forming the next government at the Centre without support from regional political forces. Most of the regional forces are linked with the UPA or NDA in a direct or indirect manner.

Even the preference of the Left parties, in spite of their rhetoric, is linked to the UPA. Among the significant regional forces, only the Samajwadi Party is trying to create an alternative — the Third Front — which is a secular platform committed to the rights of backward communities, deprived sections and minorities. The United National Progressive Alliance is a move in this direction with important constituents like the National Conference from J&K, TDP from the south, INLD from Haryana, AGP from the Northeast and Babulal Marandi from Jharkhand.

Source: Indianexpress