Compulsions of local politics have come in the way of the proposed unity of non-Congress, non-BJP parties ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections with Trinamool Congress, BSP and YSR Congress keeping away from the October 30 anti-communal convention in Delhi.
Four Left parties have united with AIADMK, JD(U), SP, BJD, JD(S), Naga People's Front, Sikkim Democratic Front, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha and RPI (Prakash Ambedkar) for the October 30 'Convention Against Communalism and For Unity of People'. Sources say that Trinamool Congress could not be included as its arch rival in West Bengal, Left, is the main force behind the event.
Similarly, Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party will give the convention a miss owing to Samajwadi Party's prominent presence in it. Sources also say that some parties were in favour of inviting Y S Jaganmohan Reddy's party YSR Congress of Andhra Pradesh to the convention, but CPI opposed it.
CPI has been campaigning against Jaganmohan Reddy in the state. "We are trying to bring all non-Congress, non-BJP parties on one platform, but the country is diverse. There are different problems. So, we are happy that maximum number of such parties are attending the conference," a leader, playing a key role in organising the meet, said.
Senior PDP leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was supposed to attend the meet but the plan has been cancelled. There was earlier a view that TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu should be invited, but it was given a go-by after his growing proximity with BJP became evident.
JD(U) is playing a prominent role in the event, while Lalu Prasad's RJD and Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP are not participating in it. Both parties are supporting the UPA from outside and are rivals of JD(U) in Bihar.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa will send AIADMK parliamentary party leader M Thambidurai to attend the meeting while Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will also depute a senior BJD leader for it.
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