NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL DEAR REDIFF THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES US ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Left Front presidential candidate Colonel Laxmi Sehgal on Tuesday said some National Democratic Alliance parties had 'privately' expressed their support to her, but declined to name them.
"Some NDA allies telephoned me and privately expressed their support to my candidature," Sehgal told a 'meet the press programme' at Delhi's Press Club.
The former commander of the Subhas Chandra Bose-led Indian National Army's Rani Jhansi regiment, however, refused to name them saying it would amount to 'betrayal'.
She described the role of the Congress party and the Samajwadi Party, which supported the candidature of NDA nominee A P J Abdul Kalam, as 'very disappointing'.
Sehgal said besides the Left parties, Chandrasekhar's Samajwadi Janata Party, Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janashakti Party, Manipur People's Party and the Socialist Unity Centre of India supported her.
To a question, 88-year-old Sehgal said she was not a 'token' candidate as propagated by some, but very much in the fight. "I still work in my clinic for six hours and take part in social activities," she said.
Asked how she agreed to become the candidate of the Left, which had criticised Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Sehgal said at that time people did not know what Netaji's idea was.
The British launched the propaganda that Netaji was a stooge of the Japanese and the Left forces were against fascism.
When the Left parties came to know about Netaji's ideas, they realised that his first priority was the freedom of the country, she said.
Sehgal admitted that her fight in presidential election was a 'difficult one', but asserted she would fight it out.
The country was passing through a difficult phase, she said, adding, democracy and secularism were being threatened by 'extreme right forces' ruling at the Centre.
Expressing resolve to take a determined stand against such attempts, Sehgal said the Left parties were committed to secularism and democracy.
Criticising the economic policies of the Vajpayee government, she said it was for multinational companies and not for the common people.
Unemployment was shooting up and child labour was on the rise, she added.
To a question on BJP's attempt to redefine secularism, Sehgal said there was no question of redefining it. "Either you are a secular or you are not."
The 11th President of India: Complete Coverage
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
