Former Prime Minister and JDS supremo Deve Gowda on Monday announced the formation of the Third Front, an amalgamation of eight parties including the Left, and touted as a political alternative to the Congress and BJP.

The much talked about Front would be launched in Karnataka on March 12 with a rally in Tumkur, 50 km from Bangalore, Gowda said. The announcement came shortly before the schedule for the General elections was announced.

Leaders of eight political outfits who have agreed to be part of the Third Front - CPI, CPM, Forward Bloc, RPI, TDP, TRS, AIADMK and JDS - will take part in the rally, Gowda said.

Gowda, who took a lead role in giving shape to the formation of the Front, which his political opponents BJP and Congress pooh poohed as a "mirage", said the agenda of the new outfit would be unveiled at the rally.

There was no discussion in the Front "as of now" on who would be its prime ministerial candidate nor any decision taken in support of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati for the post, he said.

The proposed Third Front would formulate alternative programmes to overcome "several crises" created by UPA and NDA, he said and clarified that "certain sensitive issues like inter-state river water dispute sharing and reservation will not be touched and will be left to respective states".

State unit leaders of Left parties were present when Gowda made the announcement.