Peeved at the government of India's decision to vote in favour of the resolution on Iran, the Left parties are meeting in New Delhi on Monday morning to chalk out a joint strategy that they would adopt in the United Progressive Alliance coordination committee later in the day.

• The Iran vote and after

D Raja, Communist Party of India, said they have been forced to take a tough stand because of the continued defiant stand on the Iran issue. "I would be in a position to give a clear indicator after our meeting of the Left parties," he said.

Prakash Karat, Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary, who would be heading the Left parties meet had indicated that the Left parties were looking for a third alternative minus Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress while addressing a public meeting in Guwahati on Sunday.

His statement has created a flutter in the political circles though Congress was trying to put up a brave face and said that every party had a right to express its opinion.

Left parties are angered at the prospect of facing hostile voters in Bengal elections if India votes again in favour of the international resolution on Iran on March 6.

Left parties are also putting pressure against the visit of US President George Bush [Images] to India and have threatened to hold massive demonstrations in case the visit does materialise.

"We are going for the coordination meeting, but only to tell the government about our stand and remind them they need our support," said a senior CPI-M functionary.

The meeting will be chaired by Sonia Gandhi [Images] who is the chairman of the UPA coordination committee and will be attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] and his senior Cabinet colleagues.