Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat [Images] Sunday stated that the party is trying to form a third alternative to the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party [Images].

• CPI-M trying to form third alternative: Karat

The Left party is trying to muster as much support as possible on the Iran issue.

• The Iran vote and after

However, it remains to be seen how the CPI(M) can take on the Congress and the BJP, which together have more than 271 parliamentarians in the Lok Sabha.

Is Karat's statement more bark than bite? Tell us.