Supporters of AAP candidate Medha Patkar (C, on jeep) wave brooms - her party symbol - during a rally in Mumbai, yesterday.

Nipping in bud all debates on the Congress party supporting the Third Front to form government in Centre, senior Congress leader and defence minister A K Antony ruled out such a possibility after the elections.
"This time, the Left is not being taken seriously even by their potential allies. They have not been given seats by any of the regional parties with which they tried to form an alliance and are being treated as if they are insignificant. Does a front cobbled up by the Left parties stand a chance to form a government? Also, how will they resolve the leadership issue considering that there are so many aspirants," Antony said during an exclusive interview with the Times Of India.
Antony, who is on a hectic campaign tour in his home state, stuck to his earlier stand that the secular parties should help Congress to keep the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) out of power.
Even though the Congress did not have the majority, it could form UPA I and UPA II with the support of other parties. "The party will be able to form UPA III also with the support of other secular parties," he said. "My feeling is that the Congress will score much better than what is being projected in the opinion polls. However, I don't want to forecast the number of seats we will get. The party's position has improved after we launched our campaign," Antony said.
Defending chief minister Oommen Chandy, the defence minister said that he need not resign in the wake of Kerala High Court's adverse comments against him (Chandy) in the land grab case involving his personal staff Salim Raj.