The ‘third front’ in the country's politics hopes to challenge the dominant Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the forthcoming elections in April and May.

The "third front" was launched at a massive rally in the town of Tumkur in the southern state of Karnataka.

Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, a founder of the new party, called for voters to back a “democratic and secular” government in the elections.

The leader of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Prakash Karat, said: “This is a historic get-together of all democratic, secular and Left parties in the country to declare that we are all coming together to constitute a third force in this country.

As the struggle between the main two parties seems increasingly close, the political capital of smaller parties has grown.

The new alliance includes the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist Party of India, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, the Telugu Desam Party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham, the Forward Bloc, the Revolutionary Socialist Party and the Janata Dal (Secular).

A representative of the Bahujan Samaj Party, a regional party led by Uttar Pradesh state Chief Minister Mayawati, also participated in the rally. It wasn’t clear whether the party will join the grouping.

Elections for 543 parliamentary constituencies across the world’s biggest democracy will be held in five phases from April 16 to May 13. Counting of votes will take place in all constituencies on May 16.

Contact our Asia Desk

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