New Delhi: The Left parties who have over 60 MPs in Lok Sabha will not join the multi-party coalition Government to be headed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

These parties Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party Marxist (CPM) which have over the past two days discussed the issue will announce their decision later in the day, sources in Left Front said today (May 17, 2004).

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Despite invitation from Gandhi to join her Government, Left parties are of the strong view that participating in the Government would straight away conceal the Opposition space to the rightists.

The sources said some of the leaders and constituents felt inclined to join the Government to give it stability but the final view was taken to maintain unity in the left.

It was also felt that some of the decisions to be taken by the new Government may not be to the liking of Left Front and so staying out of the Govt could give it that much freedom to comment on them.