Brinda Karat, Nitish Kumar, Jaya Bachchan to campaign for Gujarat's third front

BJP's PM candidate Narendra Modi's arch rival and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, CPM's Brinda Karat, Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav and Samajwadi Party's Jaya Bachchan plan to campaign in favour of the 'Third Front' in Gujarat, sources said here today.

"Nitish Kumar is likely to campaign in Gujarat after April 15. We are finalising the programme with him," Janata Dal (United) Gujarat vice-president Govind Jadav said.

"After seat-sharing negotiations are finalised with five parties who are part of the 'Third Front' in Gujarat, we will tell Nitish Kumar about the programme venue and schedule," Jadav said.

"As Nitish Kumar is also in charge of Bihar's Madhepura constituency, he is busy campaigning there but he can definitely come to Gujarat once. Sharad Yadav will definitely come after April 15 and hold an election rally in South Gujarat's Surat or Bharuch districts," he said.

Samajwadi Party informed today that its Rajya Sabha member Jaya Bachchan would also campaign in Gujarat.

"Jaya Bachchan will come to Gujarat, while other senior party leaders like Azam Khan and Mulayam Singh are also likely to come," Samajwadi Party's Gujarat president Surendra Yadav said.

CPM's Gujarat general secratary Arun Mehta said, "Brinda Karat will come to the state and challenge Modi's claims of development".

Janata Dal (United), Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Left parties formed a 'Progressive Forum' as well as declared that they would contest 11 Lok Sabha seats from Gujarat.