The convention, bringing all those opposed to the BJP Government at the Centre on a common platform, will also serve as an indicator of the kind of support the Left can cobble together in its attempts to form a Third Front.With the growing militancy of the Sangh Parivar reflected in the unabated attacks on minorities, there is a sense of alarm at the sectarian intolerance that is threatening to grip the country.

The convention is aimed at grouping togeher democratic, secular forces. "It is not necessarily a political formation, but part of a process of regrouping" members of the erstwhile United Front", says Prakash Karat, Commnist Pary of India (Marxist) politbureau member.

But while welcoming the support of anti-sectarian elements, the Left parties are also clear that they want to keep out parties like Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party, whose support was key to theBJP forming the government.Apprehending that the longer the BJP stays in office, the greater damage to democratic institutions in the country will be, the CPI (M) will oppose any move for an interim government headed by the BJP.

Party insiders point out that in the nine months it has spent in office, there is no institution the BJP has left untouched. "In every field, be it education or the arts, or even the armed forces, the BJP has done irrevocable damage.

"There was a view that once the BJP came to office, it would become more moderate. But today, even those who accused us of being alarmist, have been disproved", said Sitaram Yechury, CPI (M) politbureau member.

There are similar views about Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, what Yechury refers to as the "poor Vajpayee" syndrome. "But he is very much part of the BJP. Let us not delude ourselves", he said.

The party's dilemma remains Laloo Prasad Yadav. Bullied by Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Left parties have had to extend aninvitation to the former Bihar chief minister, though their problems with the corruption charges against him continue to be a conundrum. "We have to recognise that he has an anti-communal role to play", said Yechury.

With the Congress making no moves to change the equilibrium and having firmly turned down the Left's offers of support, the Third Front is gearing itself up for any eventuality. "The flashpoint will be sparked off by the BJP's coalition partners themselves, when they realise that their continued support to the BJP at the Centre is costing them the support of the people in the states. Already, Naidu is feeling the heat", said Yechury. A shot in the arm for the Left parties was former prime minister H D Deve Gowda's appeal to members of the erstwhile "Janata Parivar" to participate in the convention, indicating their repugnance to the kind of politics being pursued by the BJP-RSS combine.

While the pulls and pressures on the BJP from its coalition partners had given a bad name to coalitionpolitics, in Bangalore, Gowda urged all former front members to sink their differences and fight the communal menace which posed the greatest danger to the secular fabric of the country.

Apart from the leaders of smaller political parties like the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Tamil Maanila Congress, four former prime ministers V P Singh, I K Gujral, Chandrashekhar and Deve Gowda are also expected at the convention, which will adopt a "declaration" against communalism.

The organisers are hoping to rope in not just the politicos, but also artists, lawyers, professionals anyone who shares the unhappiness with the growing sectarian violence that the country has witnessed in recent months.