The Front had been targeting the BJP in its election campaign as well as in utterances by frontline leaders. A senior Janata Dal leader said Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda is almost obsessed with the idea of isolating the BJP, both within Uttar Pradesh as well as in other parts of the country. Front leaders say there would be no problem in arriving at a tie-up with the BSP-Congress alliance after the elections. Front leaders feel that the outcome of the elections would not pose any serious threat to the government at the Centre, but admit that its political implications would be important.
Uttar Pradesh is the biggest state and electorally the most important. Consequently, the political fallout of the election results would be of utmost importance, says CPI general secretary A B Bardhan.
The election is important for two more reasons, Front leaders maintain. As per the reference in the Common Minimum Programme, the Babri Masjid issue has to be referred to the Supreme Court under article 138 (2) for which the consent of the state government is required. A friendly government in the state will definitely help us resolve the issue, Front's campaign committee member Shamim Faizee said.
Secondly, the Prime Minister's announcement of giving statehood to Uttarakhand can be translated into reality once a fraternal government comes to power in the state, he added.