Kolkata: The Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPM) on August 10 ruled out any electoral alliance with the Congress prior to the Lok Sabha elections but said to defeat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) the party would support the Congress or secular forces only in those seats which the Marxists would not contest.

''Question does not arise of making any front or alliance with the Congress anywhere in the country where the party will have its candidates in the coming Lok Sabha elections,'' CPM politburo member and West Bengal secretary Anil Biswas told reporters.

Referring to the forthcoming Assembly elections in five states, Biswas said that the party would support the Congress or secular candidates to defeat the BJP in those seats where CPM would not put up any candidate.

Regarding West Bengal, he said, ''We are not making any front or alliance with the Congress in the state as we have substantial strength. The situation is similar in other two Red bastions - Tripura and Kerala."

Biswas questioned the secular character of the Congress in West Bengal following its formation of Zilla Parishad Board in the district of Malda with the help of BJP.

''The Congress should come clean about its secular image before accusing the CPM,'' he said.

To a question about the party's breakaway group Party for Democratic Socialism's adjustment with the Congress in the state, Biswas said that the PDS did not have mass base.

PTI