No support to Congress govt, ‘minority or majority’: CPI(M)

On the eve of counting day, the CPI(M) ruled out supporting a Congress-led government?minority or majority?while both the Congress and the BJP actively wooed parties in the Third Front.

The CPI(M) made it clear that it would not support a Congress government directly or indirectly, rejecting all speculation of the Left supporting a minority dispensation led by the Congress. ?If it is a minority government issue, then the Congress should support a Third Front government? CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat told The Indian Express.

The CPI(M) appeared to be confident of the continuance of the Third Front as senior leaders claimed that the party has got an assurance from BSP chief Mayawati, JD(S)?s HD Deve Gowda, TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu and Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik. BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra met Karat and CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury and is learnt to have promised the BSP`s support.

Although both the Congress and the BJP reached out to fence-sitters, the possibility of existing allies switching sides also dawned on them. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar?s comments that parties from Bihar should make special category status for the state a pre-condition for supporting any combination should unnerve the BJP while the possibility of Sharad Pawar emerging as a consensus Third Front Prime Minister is a cause for worry to the Congress.

Both the Congress and the BJP held strategic sessions to explore the options before them. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi held a meeting with senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is in charge of TN and Orissa. AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa figures in the post-poll strategies of both the formations.

Senior Congress leaders, including Pranab Mukherjee, AK Antony, Ahmed Patel besides Azad attended the strategy meetings.

Though Nitish Kumar dropped hints that he could switch sides, the Congress did not reveal its cards. Senior party leader Kapil Sibal said: ?Let him first quantify what he means by his demand. Let the results come and only then we will decide on that??

The BJP, on the other hand, refused to attach much importance to Kumar`s remarks. ?He (Nitish Kumar) knows that only the NDA can provide Bihar with such a package?, BJP president Rajnath Singh said. Kumar did not turn up in Delhi for a meeting of NDA chief ministers scheduled on Friday, forcing its postponement.

BJP?s Prime Ministerial candidate LK Advani held discussions with ally and INLD chief OP Chautala and RLD leader Ajit Singh.