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The Communist Party of India-Marxist on Tuesday ruled out any alliance with the Congress after the Lok Sabha elections and exuded confidence that there would be a realignment of political forces with the Third Front emerging as the largest combination.
"We expect a realignment of political forces in the post-poll scenario. The Third Front will emerge as the largest combination and there is no question of having any understanding or alliance with the Congress party," CPM general secretary Prakash Karat told media-persons in Kolkata.
He was responding to a question whether the Third Front can form a government without support from the Congress. Asked if he meant parties in the Fourth Front comprising of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party and Lok Janshakti Party, Karat said, "There are many parties who are looking at options of having a government in which they will also be partners."
"We are not dictating anything. We have appealed to all non-Congress secular parties to join hands," Karat said. To a question who would be the Third Front's prime ministerial candidate, Karat said, "It is a matter which will be decided after the elections. We have a parliamentary system. Let the parties sit together and decide who will be their leader."
Asked if West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee could be a prime ministerial candidate of the Third Front, Karat said, "I am not saying anything". "We (CPM) are not putting forward any name," he said.
Karat said if there was a non-Congress, non-Bharatiya Janata Party government, the question of prime ministership would be decided by the parties of the coalition, "which is being formed".
"We see no difficulty in arriving at a decision," the Left leader said when asked to comment on the fact that Congress and BJP had already announced their prime ministerial candidates.
Karat said, "We don't have a presidential form of government, but a parliamentary system." He said that the Bahujan Samaj Party had earlier projected party supremo Mayawati as its prime ministerial candidate. "But along with us, BSP also announced that the issue will be decided after the elections."
Taking a dig at the two main alliances which are bogged down by desertions, Karat said, "The United Progressive Alliance practically now ceases to exist. All major partners of the UPA, like the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, Lok Jan ShaktiJ Party are fighting against the Congress in states like Bihar and UP." "How many partners are left in the National Democratic Alliance?" Karat wondered.