No problem if Cong supports Third Front Govt: Karat

He also parried questions on whether the Left parties would agree for a Congress-led government if it does not insist on Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister,remarking that “Congress is not going to change”.

Karat made it clear that the Left parties were for formation of a non-Congress secular government at the Centre.

“We have taken a decision that we (Third Front) should form a government. There can be a non-Congress government at the Centre with Congress remaining outside and extending support,” Karat told reporters in New Delhi.

Noting that Left is “not alone” in the matter,he said,”we will come to a common understanding and decision and we will not abandon our friends and allies. Whatever decision we take,we will take it after consultations.”

He dismissed suggestions that the Left parties were under pressure from the UPA allies on the issue of formation of the next government.

Karat said that the Left parties have already appealed to the “secular parties” in the UPA and NDA to cooperate in the formation of a non-Congress secular government.

Replying to a query,he said JD(U),which is now part of the BJP-led NDA,was also part of these secular parties.

Karat’s comments have come a day after three prominent non-Congress leaders in the UPA,Sharad Pawar,Lalu Prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan sought to reach out to Left parties describing them as “our friends” whose “blessings” could be required in the post-poll scenario.

Asked whether the Left parties would be agreeable to supporting a Congress-led government minus Manmohan Singh,he said “there is not going to be any change in the Congress party. It is not going to change. The continuance of strategic partnerships with Israel and the US is proof of that.”