Narendra Modi ridicules Third Front

Ridiculing the idea of Third Front, BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi today said that states ruled by its constituents have remained backward and called upon the people to reject them.

"Let the Third Front see which way the wind is blowing. BJP will form the government after coming Lok Sabha elections," Modi said, pointing to a huge gathering of people to atttend his rally at the sprawling Brigade Parade Ground here.

Taking head-on the Third Front constituents, which met in Delhi during the day, he said, "The idea behind Third Front is to make India a third-rate country. Eastern states have remained backward as these are ruled by the Third Front parties."

"Time has come to bid farewell to this idea of third front from Indian politics forever. In the western states, any third front constituent has never been in power. They have existed in the East and deprived it of development and took the states backward," he said.

Attacking the Third Front for trying to encash secularism, Modi said, "Whenever elections come, they (the Third Front constituents) start talking about the poor people and harp on secularism.

"They have never worked to ensure that fruits of development reached the Muslims. They have considered them as just a voter," he said. Claiming that per capita income of minorities was the highest in Gujarat, he said, "Government should have only one book of religion - that is the Constitution and only believe in nationalism."