The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Sunday said it was trying its best to build a third alternative to the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party in the near future.

End of the road for the CPI?

Addressing a public rally at the Judges field in Guwahati, party general secretary Prakash Karat said proposals in this regard had already been sent to 'democratic and secular' forces in the United Progressive Alliance.

Karat, however, did not name any political party. The CPI(M) will like the UPA government to continue with its support from outside till a third alternative was formed, he added.

Hours after the CPI-M general secretary made the startling announcement, Brinda Karat, member of the party's politbureau, sought to explain in New Delhi that the media had got Karat wrong.

"From what I understand, the CPM is trying to get the like-minded parties on the issue of Iran," she said, adding, "Formation of the third front is a political issue and we are certainly not addressing that at the moment. This was made clear to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav also when he called on the party leaders in New Delhi some days ago."

"We want a debate on the Iran issue in Parliament. As on March 6, this issue will be taken up again," Brinda Karat told rediff.com on phone soon after her arrival in New Delhi from Jharkhand.

Bhartiya Janata Party vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Karat's statement was merely a 'wishful thinking.'

"How can they ever think of forming a government without the Congress or the BJP, which together have more then 271 parliamentarians in the Lok Sabha," Naqvi said.

A senior Congress leader too ridiculed the Karat's statement. "On one hand they say that they will continue to support Dr Singh's government and on the other hand try to bully the government by resorting to such tactics. Third front minus the Congress and BJP is not simply workable. Where are they going to get the requiste numbers," he asked. 

Karat is expected to clarify what he meant by formation of the third front after returning to New Delhi on Sunday night.

With PTI inputs