While the country is debating the possibility of a NaMo vs RaGa battle in the 2014 general elections, the likelihood of projecting a third alternative candidate for the prime minister’s post from what can loosely be described as a ‘Third Front’ is not that unlikely.

And though the debate is open about which of the regional leaders would get the backing for the candidature – the field has as many names as there are parties, perhaps, starting from Nitish Kumar and Mulayam Singh Yadav and right down to Jayalalithaa and even Mamata Banerjee, according to some quarters – Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik for now seems to lead the pack.

According to senior CPI(M) leader and the party’s politburo member Sitaram Yechury has said the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) will be part of an ‘alternative-front’ to form a non-Congress and non-BJP front and Patnaik could be the PM candiate. “Naveen is an able leader. I will be happy if he becomes the prime minister. But it is too early to say this,” Yechury told mediapersons in Bhubaneswar on Sunday (December 1).

Hinting at the possibility of an alliance between the CPI(M) and the BJD in the 2014 assembly elections in Odisha, like the pre-poll alliance in 2009, Yechury said, “CPM has always been with the BJD and Naveen has been maintaining equal distance from both Congress and the BJP. Even former chief minister Biju Patnaik was an active member of the United Front (the earlier third front avatar).

“We have been planning for a policy-based alternative to tackle the wrong policies of both the Congress-led UPA and the BJP-led NDA. And any regional party which does not believe in the wrong policies of Congress and BJP can join us.”

Eleven political parties, including the BJD, had participated in a joint meeting, organised by the Left front in New Delhi, On October 30 this year. Their attendance was seen as a hint toward willingness for forming a post-election third front.

Yechury clarified that his party the joined Congress earlier to defeat the communal BJP but the Congress was no different. “We feel the Left parties, along with BJD and other regional parties, will play a major role in defeating the two parties (in the coming Lok Sabha elections). We have started framing alternative policies.”

Calling for a change in policymaking to make India a global economic power, Yechury said neither the Congress nor the BJP is interested in diving deep to address the real problems ailing the country. Both parties, he claimed, are only fighting for power and do not have the vision on how to transform the democratic process to bring in economic independence for the people.

The CPI(M) politburo member said prosperity has reached to only a minor section of the society while the vast majority of Indians are far away from economic independence. This is despite the fact that the country has enough natural resources, skilled manpower, huge market and above all sizeable section of the population are below the age of 25 years who have become restless without a job. “If the energy of these youths is properly channelised nothing can stop India from becoming an economic superpower,” he said.

Pointing out ideological conflicts between political parties, Yechury said while Congress has a secular democratic vision, the BJP is craving for a Hindu nation. However, the Left parties are continuing their struggle for social and economic equity, he said.

“The 2014 election will be the battle of the three ideologies and unless we respect out diversity we cannot strengthen our country,” he said.

Touching on the subject of BJP’s PM candidate and Gujarat CM Narendra Modi’s recent purported attempt to glorify Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the cost of Jawaharlal Nehru, the CPM leader said, “What is the point in debating whether Patel would have been better prime minister when he himself had praised Nehru as the best prime minister?”

Yechury also attacked the economic policy of the Congress and said prime minister Manhohan Singh is going gung-ho for foreign direct investment (FDI) without realising it will affect the country’s economy. “We need an alternative policy which can provide independence to individuals,” he said.