)
Mamata Banerjee is unfazed by her exclusion in the recently-formed Third Front which she rubbishes as an unviable "tired front" and is confident that a different kind of Federal Front will rule the country after the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
The West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo is also keeping open the option of whether she is a contender for the prime ministership, saying "people will decide".
She ruled out any truck with Congress or BJP and hoped that people would "reward" her party "abundantly" in the polls.
"No matter. Any force with the Communists in it is not viable because the people have rejected the CPI(M). So,... It is not Third Front, it is Tired Front," she told PTI in an email interview.
Mamata was responding when asked how she sees coming together recently of 11 parties to form the Third Front which includes Left parties, Samajwadi Party, JD(U) and JD(S).
Asked whether she felt left out as she was not included in the 'Third Front', Mamata replied, "Nothing like that."
She insisted that "any Front of significance (including Trinamool) will only come together after the results are announced... We are hopeful that a Federal Front government will lead this nation."
Questioned as to how this was possible and who could be her allies after elections, she remained vague. "Making empty noise now is one thing. It is not important. What is important is to come to Delhi in May with many dozens of Lok Sabha seats. The Federal Front will take shape with this model, on the plank of common policies.
