PM candidate to be decided after polls: Left

New Delhi: Amid speculation that Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati would join the Third Front if she was named its prime ministerial candidate, the Left parties on Saturday said the alliance would chose its leader for the top job only after the elections.

"We will choose the prime minister after the general elections," said Communist Party of India (CPI) national deputy general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy.

The stance assumes significance in view of Sunday's dinner Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati is hosting for the Front leaders in Delhi to discuss a poll alliance.

The Left and six regional parties formed the Third Front on Thursday.

Mayawati is known to be eyeing the top job and her name emerged as the front-runner during the trust vote in the Lok Sabha in July 2008 when the Left parties were mobilising MPs to defeat the ruling Congress-led alliance.

CPI general secretary A B Bardhan said on Friday that the Third Front would not project anyone as its prime ministerial candidate.

Reddy, an MP, said the Left parties have a "principled position, (and) political and academic clarity regarding the new formation".

He said the anti-Congress, anti-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance would chart out a policy and programme after the elections.

"The policies and programmes of the new formation will be charted out only after the elections. We (the Left parties) will ensure that it would be a secular front. It should be an anti-imperialist front and it should follow pro-people economic policies," Reddy said.

Forward Bloc national secretary G Devarajan said the Congress and the BJP are worried over the emergence of the new alliance.

"The non-Congress, non-BJP alliance has threatened the prospects of both the Congress and the BJP in the coming elections," he said.

He also said the Third Front would fight elections together and the decision regarding the prime minister would be taken after the polls.

He alleged that a section of the media was spreading false propaganda against the Third Front.

Referring to media reports that said Mayawati had given an ultimatum to the new allies on the issue of her prime ministerial candidature, Devarajan said: "No such ultimatum was given to anyone."

He added: "We have not used the term 'Third Front'. It is a section of the media that has used the term. They are spreading false propaganda against the new alliance to help the Congress and BJP."