Pawar hints at third front

NCP leader Sharad Pawar has hinted at the formation of a third front to give a different direction to the country’s politics.

He told presspersons at the Sambra airport in Belagavi on Saturday that talks have begun about the third front among different leaders. He did not clarify if he was involved in them. He also did not to respond to questions about the proposed alliance with JD(S).

Mr. Pawar is in the city to address a rally organised by Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti that is fighting for the merger of Belagavi and other areas in Maharashtra. He is also scheduled to speak to cooperative leaders and farmers.

Mr. Pawar visited Tukaram Cooperative Bank in Shahapur and Lokmanya Cooperative Society at Tlakwadi in Belagavi. He advised Lokmanya Society office-bearers to aim at serving the poor with zeal. He advised them to open more branches in bordering areas like Kolhapur in Maharashtra.

The former Union Agriculture Minister is visiting Belagavi after 32 years. In 1986, he defied police ban orders to lead a border area agitation in Belagavi. As many as seven persons were killed in the linguistic riots that followed the agitation.