Dismissing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s allegation that the Left parties were helping the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha election by splitting secular votes, the Communist Party' of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Monday said they were, in fact, weakening the BJP by weaning away its allies.

"We are weakening the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) by weaning away its allies like the Telugu Desam and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD)," CPI-M politburo member Sitaram Yechury said at a the meet-the-press' programme at the Kolkata Press Club.

He also accused the Congress of having paved the way for NDA rule at the centre from 1998 to 2004 by withdrawing support to the United Front dispensation in 1998.

"Despite then Congress chief Narasimha's Rao's prom-

ise in 1996 that the Congress will support the UF for a full five-year term, they withdrew support in 1998. Had they not done so, Atal Bihari Vajpayee would not have become prime minister," Yechury said.

The CPI-M leader claimed the newly formed Third Front was working to bring a shift in policy direction for the benefit of the suffering masses in India.

"The left parties, CPI-M in particular, is working towards bringing such policy shift so as to narrow the gap between shining India and suffering India. And it can only be brought about by a nonCongress, non-BJP government at the centre," he said, adding that a majority of voters in the country were not voting for either party.

'And, that is why we are working towards forming a third alternative government at the centre this time,' he said, adding that bipolar polity does not suit to India.