With reports of cracks in the Third Front, leaders of the non-Congress, non-BJP parties, including BSP, will meet here on May 18 to discuss the possibility of forming an alternative secular government.

TRS, which switched to the NDA side three days ago, has not been called for the meeting, CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat said on Wednesday.

"Leaders of non-Congress, non-BJP will meet here on May 18 to decide the future course of action. BSP will join these discussions where we will explore the possibilities of forming an alternative secular government," he told reporters here.

Karat said the Left parties will meet in New Delhi on May 17 which will be followed by the CPM's Politburo meeting on May 18 and Central Committee the following day. "This will be the first round of meeting among the parties," he said.

Asked whether TRS has been invited to the meeting, Karat said: "TRS is not in this. He (K Chandrasekhar Rao) has obviously found some other place."

On reports about BJP sending feelers to TDP, Karat said he was in touch with TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on a "daily" basis. "In fact, it was he (Naidu) who asked me to make this announcement," he said.

"He (Naidu) is the main mover behind the non-Congress, non-BJP combine," Karat said.

On JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy meeting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi yesterday, Karat said former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda has already clarified his party position. "He (Gowda) is one of the main movers of the front."

When asked about what parties like AIADMK, TDP and JD(S) would do, he said "I can't speak on behalf of all these parties."

Besides BSP, Left parties, AIADMK, TDP, BJD and JD(S) will also participate in the meeting.

CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said: "what's wrong in that? She will consult her allies which are the CPI and the CPM. Without discussing with us, she will not think of any option", when asked to comment on AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa's statement that her party would take a decision after the poll results in consultation with her allies.

Bardhan also said after the results are out on May 16, the Third Front would get "more numbers" and "will tell the President that we must be given a chance".

The Left parties would meet on May 17, a day after the results come out. The CPI National Executive would meet on May 19 followed by a three-day session of its National Council.

The decision-making bodies of Forward Bloc and RSP would also be meeting on the same days.