Just a few days ago, CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechuri had said that sitting in the Opposition was the last choice for his party.

RSP leaders echoed CPI’s view. “The Left should stick to its stand of not supporting the Congress or the BJP. As a party, our stand remains so till date. We would prefer to sit in the Opposition that to go with Congress or BJP,” said Manoj Bhattacharjee, a national council (top decision-making body of the party) member of the RSP.

The party will, however, discuss the matter at its central council meeting scheduled due on May 18-May 21.

Sources said Left allies are not very happy with the CPM over its softening of stand on the Congress. However, all LF constituents, including the CPM, are carrying out back-channel efforts to reach a consensus on the issue.

“We are talking to all our Left allies. There are differences of opinion which, like always, will be resolved through dialogue,” said a senior politburo member of the CPM.

State secretariat member of the All India Forward Bloc Hafiz Alam Sairani said, “Our central leadership will take a final decision on this. Till date, we are as against supporting a Congress government or a BJP one.”