Kolkata, May 11 West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Monday said the Left parties did not consider Congress party "untouchable". But they were working to form a Third Front government at the Centre and might join it if they could play any meaningful role in it.

Addressing media men in 'meet the press' programme here, Buddhadeb spoke on the role the Left parties are likely to play in the formation of the government at the centre.

Asked if the Left parties could support a Congress-led government, Buddhadeb said: "It is too early to comment who is going to support whom. At the moment we are trying to form a government without Congress and BJP".

Replying to another question asking if the CPI (M) Left views the Congress to be untouchable, Buddhadeb said, "We don't believe in untouchability."

"We are trying to form a Third Front government at the Centre with like-minded secular and democratic parties and the Left will play a meaningful role in it. The Left will join a Third Front government if it can play a meaningful role in policy making and implementation," Buddhadeb informed. the Chief Minister told the 'meet the press' programme at Kolkata on Monday.

"Let the elections be over and results be announced. Right now, we are trying to defeat the Congress and the BJP," Buddhadeb said while adding that the CPI-M politburo would meet on May 18 after the counting after counting of votes to discuss the matter. (ANI)