Firing warning shots even before the swearing-in of the Congress-led coalition ministry, the Communist Party of India-Marxist said on Saturday its support to the Manmohan Singh Government would be unflinching as long as it worked in consonance with the common minimum programme.

"People ask us, 'You are supporting the government from outside, when will you withdraw support?' Our clear answer is that if the government runs according to the programme, we will withdraw support only during the next general election, which is after five years," party leader Sitaram Yechury told reporters in New Delhi.

Asked about its expectations from the government, he said the Left hoped that a stable government would be formed, which would run its entire term.

The CPM, especially its leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet, had played a significant role in the programme's drafting though the party decided to stay out of the government while extending support to it.