No understanding with Cong: CPI(M)
CPI(M) also hinted at the possibility of forming a third front government with the help of some NDA partners.
The CPI(M) on Tuesday strongly refuted any understanding with Congress and hinted at the possibility of forming a third front government in the event of a hung parliament with the help of some NDA partners.
Speaking at a meet-the-press programme here, Left Frond chairman and CPI(M) politburo member Biman Bose said that in the changing election scenario in which a hung parliament had become a possibility, the chance of a third front government could not be ruled out.
He dismissed suggestions that CPI(M) had any understanding with Congress saying, "we are not in any alliance with the Congress and the post poll stand will be decided by the party's apex body in the post poll scenario."
Bose said that the CPI(M) had an electoral alliance with the DMK in Tamil Nadu and RJD in Bihar and in both cases Congress had also entered into electoral alliances with these parties. "People should not interprete this as CPI(M) has entered into an alliance with the Congress," he said.
Pointing out that a number of secular parties have already left NDA, he said there was every possibility some more NDA parties would come out to join another alliance.
"There is no guarantee that all the NDA allies will stay together with the BJP in such a situation," Bose said.
Bose, however, remained non-committal about projecting the veteran marxist leader Jyoti Basu as prime ministerial candidate of the probable third front government, saying the former West Bengal chief minister has already expressed his inability to take this responsibility on health grounds.