NEW DELHI: In separate assessments, the chief ministers of three major states — Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal — claimed on Wednesday that neither BJP nor Congress would come to power.

In Uttar Pradesh, parts of which go to the polls on Thursday, ruling Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday claimed that a Third Front government would be formed at the centre after the Lok Sabha elections.

“Neither BJP nor Congress will come to power. Since only a Third Front government will be formed at the centre, the more seats Samajwadi Party wins, the more it will have a say,” Mr Yadav said while addressing an election meeting in Mathura. Film actor Hema Malini is the BJP candidate from Mathura.

Taking a jibe at BJP, Mulayam Singh said that the party’s claim of coming to power was an absolute “lie.”

“Modi will never become prime minister as a cunning person in his party will not allow him to fulfill his ambition,” he said.

The Hindu, reporting from Chennai, said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa claimed on Tuesday that the aim of her All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party was the formation of a non-Congress, non-BJP government at the centre through a combination of regional parties.

Echoing the Tamil Nadu chief minister’s views, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said in Kolkata that a federal front government would be formed after the elections. “The federal front is the future. A federal front government will be formed after the elections,” Ms Banerjee told PTI in an interview.

Addressing an election rally in Vellore, Ms Jayalalithaa termed the BJP’s election manifesto promise to provide refuge to persecuted Hindus from other countries as “anti-secular”.

The Tamil Nadu chief minister said not just Hindus but Indians of different faiths were living abroad. “Giving protection only to persecuted Hindus from abroad is against the principles of secularism. The AIADMK wants India to be a place of shelter for prosecuted Indians abroad belonging to all religions.”

No Modi wave

In a scathing attack against Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, AIADMK’s mouthpiece Dr Namadhu MGR dismissed the presence of any wave in Mr Modi’s favour in Tamil Nadu.

It charged the BJP with criticising the AIADMK for publicity’s sake. Comparing performance indicators, the article put Tamil Nadu ahead of Gujarat in development.

Also, in an indirect reference to Mr Modi meeting actor Rajinikanth in Chennai on Sunday, the party mouthpiece said the talks were Mr Modi’s strategy to help ensure that BJP candidates won’t lose their “deposits” in the election.

The AIADMK-backed ‘Jaya TV’ also played a chat show twice with the super star talking about his next movie ‘Kochadaiyaan’ on Monday, a day after Modi had called on the actor.

Meanwhile, Ms Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, also dismissed any comparisons between her state and Gujarat as it was a study in contrast between a rich, privileged child and an undernourished, neglected one.

“His [Mr Modi] becoming a prime minister is a fantasy. So I don’t need to answer this hypothetical question,” Ms. Banerjee said, when asked whether she expected better financial treatment in the event of Mr Modi becoming premier.

“Bengal does not need to go with a begging bowl. We are only asking for what is due to us. The demand for moratorium is not new. Even before 2011 elections the Prime Minister had promised to restructure Bengal’s burden created by three decades of Left rule,” the Trinamool leader said, adding:

“I and my finance minister had many meetings, but they did not do anything.

They did not keep their promise.”

Ms Banerjee was quoted by The Hindu as also saying: “Some people are talking about the Gujarat model. I must tell you there cannot be any comparison ... Gujarat has been developing even before the current chief minister. In fact, the growth rate of Gujarat declined during his tenure.”

However, Ms Banerjee said she had a lot of love for the people of Gujarat.

“Look at our population density and compare it with Gujarat.