Third Front was "well-poised" to defeat Congress and BJP in the Lok Sabha polls, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat claimed today and said BJD chief Biju Patnaik would play an important role in government formation at the Centre.
"The non-Congress and non-BJP parties are well poised to form the government after the elections," Karat said, stating that an assessment after the fourth phase of polls indicated that no party was in a position to get absolute majority to form the government on its own at the Centre.
"We will like Naveen Patnaik, who will of course be here again as the Chief Minister, to be able to play an important role in our efforts at formation of a non-Congress and non-BJP government at the Centre," Karat told reporters after holding an hour-long discussion with the BJD supremo over lunch.
The Communist leader said that the Congress-led UPA and the BJP-led NDA would not be in a position to form a government on their own strengths, while non-Congress and non-BJP secular parties would be able to do so.
His meeting with the BJD supremo in the midst of the elections came as Patnaik has remained silent on joining the Third Front.
His meeting with the BJD supremo in the midst of the elections came as Patnaik has remained silent on joining the Third Front.