Karat says Left will back Lower House member for PM's job

New Delhi, Apr 26 (PTI) Apparently taking a dig at
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is a Rajya Sabha
member, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader
Prakash Karat has said that post-elections the Left parties
will back a Lok Sabha (Lower House) member for the post of
Prime Minister.

Ruling himself out of the Prime Ministerial race, Karat
said, "the right candidate will be decided if the Third Front
is in a position to form the next government and the
Congress should support it the way we did in 2004.

"We have seen Rajya Sabha (Upper House) members
becoming Prime Ministers. This time we will definitely work
towards making a Lok Sabha (Lower House) leader the country's
next Prime Minister," Karat told News 24 channel.

He said there was no Prime Ministerial candidate from
the Left, as of now, and even a Third Front candidate will be
decided once the election results are out.

"There is no Prime Ministerial candidate from the Left.
At least we are not projecting anyone now. It might be
considered if post polls other parties suggest a name," he
said.

Refusing to be drawn into a 'Mayawati vs Jayalalithaa'
debate, Karat said the All India Anna Dravida Munetra Kazhagam
(AIADMK) leader has not yet indicated her inclination for the
PM's post.

"BSP is the only party which has projected its leader
for the PM's job. All Third Dront leaders, including
Chandrababu Naidu and H D Deve Gowda are clear on this issue.
Jayalalithaa has also not given any such indication," he said.

Karat, whose party had supported the Congress-led UPA
government before pulling out in July last year over the
Indo-US nuclear deal , said the Congress party should offer to
support a Third Front government if it wants to play a
"positive" role in government formation.

"After elections Congress will have to decide what
role they will play in the formation of a secular government.
As the coalition around Congress has fallen apart, they should
support us the way we supported them in 2004, if such a
situation arises," Karat said.

Karat had yesterday said the Left parties will not be
averse to taking Congress support from outside for a possible
Third Front government.