Mulayam Singh rules out Third Front before next Lok Sabha elections

New Delhi: After committing support to the UPA, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Saturday ruled out his involvement in formation of Third Front before the next Lok Sabha polls even though he had an intriguing meeting with Sukhbir Badal, President of NDA's key constituent Akali Dal.

Yadav went to the residence of Badal, son of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, and is understood to have discussed the possibility of the two parties joining forces in the event of formation of a non-Congress government, sources said.

During the 30-minute meeting, the SP chief is believed to have talked about the senior Badal getting a larger role at national level, the sources said.

The Samajwadi party chief met Sukhbir Badal, President of NDA\'s key constituent Akali Dal to discuss the formation of the Third Front.

Sukhbir Badal, who is Punjab Deputy Chief Minister, refused to say anything on the meeting.

However, party spokesman BS Ramoowalia, who was present during the meeting, said Yadav sought Akali support to "save the nation from the economic crisis due to the policies of the Congress-led government at the Centre, especially with regard to recent decision of allowing FDI in multi-brand retail."

Hours later, Yadav was asked by reporters whether he had met Badal as part of efforts to explore the possibility of forming a Third Front.

"I have never said the Third Front is being made. I said that it will be formed after elections. Any (political) equation will take place after election only," he responded.

He said he had met Sukhbir Badal as he is the son of Prakash Singh Badal. "I have good relations with him. The meeting could not happen for a long time so I went to meet him today."

Denying that the meeting was an effort in the direction of forming a Third Front, Singh said that "no efforts" are being done to form such an alliance.

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