Hyderabad, May 3: The United Front is holding a rally in the city tomorrow against the backdrop of the changed political equations at the Centre and in the state following the withdrawal of the Telugu Desam from the Front and its support to the BJP government.With secularism being the main focus of the rally, Front leaders are expected to attack not only the BJP but also the TDP for supporting a ``communal party''. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu was the main focus at the UF rally held in the city in January before the Lok Sabha elections. The AP units of the CPI and CPM, the UF partners which have a good strength in the state, are making all out efforts to mobilise a large crowd for the public meeting at the Nizam College grounds.
Samajwadi chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, CPI general secretary A B Bardhan, CPM general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet, former prime minister and Janata Dal leader H D Deve Gowda are among the top leaders of the Front who will attend themeeting.
Speaking to mediapersons here today, Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh said the rally would expose both the ``religious fundamentalism'' of the Bharatiya Janata Party and ``political opportunism'' of Chandrababu Naidu.
Amar Singh ridiculed Naidu's contention that political compulsions forced the TDP to leave the United Front and support the BJP during the confidence vote. ``There was no political compulsion, only political opportunism,'' he said. Reacting to a question on Front leaders courting the Congress even as they fought the Lok Sabha elections on an anti-Congress plank, he said between the BJP and the Congress, the latter was a lesser evil.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.