Patna (PTI): New fronts have emerged after every general election since 1996 and a new non-Congress front comprising secular parties would come up after the ongoing Lok Sabha elections also, CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said on Tuesday.

"The launch of fronts is perceptible after every general election since 1996 and it will turn true this time as well," Mr. Yechury told a press conference here.

"We will try to contact all secular parties, including Samajwadi Party, RJD, LJP, besides all allies of the present Third Front once the results are declared," Mr. Yechury said.

The new front would be able to obtain a majority to form a government "without support from the Congress from within or outside," he said. .

Mr. Yechury recalled that the United Front was floated after the 1996 general elections, while the BJP formed the NDA in 1998 and the UPA came into being in the aftermath of the 2004 parliamentary polls.

Asked if RJD chief Lalu Prasad, who along with LJP's Ramvilas Paswan has charted out a separate course from the Congress, could be included, he replied, "Why only Lalu, even Nitish Kumar's JD(U)) will also be welcome if it opts for joining the proposed front."

"If the nation's political course has to be decided on the basis of ideology and not opportunism, the Left and parties with socialist leaning will have to come together," Mr. Yechury said.

Asked whether the proposed front would be able to form a government on its own, Mr. Yechury said "During the last two general elections, it has been calculated that the strength of the Congress together with the BJP in the Lok Sabha has been less than 50 per cent of the total seats, and the numbers of these two parties are expected to go down further this time.

"In that condition, the combined strength of secular parties other than the Congress will cross the halfway-mark, facilitating a majority in the lower house," Mr. Yechury claimed.

Asked whether the front in the offing would seek support from Congress in the event of its failing to gain majority, Mr. Yechury said "please don't think that such a situation will arise as the non-Congress secular parties are set to reap rich electoral harvest".

Slamming the Congress and NDA for projecting prime ministerial candidates much before the elections, Mr. Yechury said as to who would be new leader and prime ministerial candidate would be announced only after launch of the new front.

The Third Front was comfortably placed as per the trends of voting across India in the first two phases of election, he claimed, adding the Left Front would pull off a "spectacular victory" in West Bengal. VML 04281745 DELHI