West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, who steps down next week as head of the world's longest-running elected Communist government, called Monday for a "third front" to oust India's ruling coalition.
"The sooner the central government falls, the better for the country," Basu told reporters.
Basu, who has ruled West Bengal for 23 years, has been one of the fiercest critics of the Hindu nationalist BJP party which dominated the coalition government in New Delhi.
"We have to work together to form a third front," Basu said.
"The people will have to be convinced that BJP-led government at the centre is ruining the country. It should be removed from power."
The idea of a "third front" to challenge the BJP has gained momentum in the past year, with the main opposition Congress party perceived as an ineffective counter to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's Hindu nationalists.
Basu, 87, is to be replaced as West Bengal chief minister on November 6, after the Communist Party of India (Marxist) finally accepted his resignation on health grounds -- CALCUTTA (AFP)
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