But on Sunday, kicking off its poll campaign in Kolkata, the party’s Bengal unit and its Front allies announced that they wanted a third alternative.

The option, which will neither have the Congress nor BJP, seems to be the need of the hour. This was made clear by the leaders of the ruling Left Front which held a rally at Brigade Parade Ground on Sunday, which in fact, kicked off Left Front’s poll campaign.

The tone was set by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who said that the Congress did not appreciate the Marxists for the support they had extended to the UPA government. “To thwart the BJP, we supported the Congress but they had no return gift to offer. This time we want neither BJP nor Congress at the Centre,” Bhattacharjee said at the rally. “We want a third alternative comprising all secular forces that will not only work for the people but also have an independent foreign policy.” Other leaders of the Front echoed Bhattacharjee’s sentiment. “We learnt a good lesson from the UPA experience,” said Manju Kumar, CPI state secretary. “The third alternative is the demand of the day,” said Debabrata Bandopadhyay, RSP general secretary.

The Marxists showcased Nayachar as a major poll plank stating that the government would not deviate from the path of industrialisation despite temporary setbacks like Singur. “Our main problem is unemployment. So we want to move ahead with industrialisation. Why is the Trinamool Congress raising an alarm on Nayachar. Will there be a Hiroshima or a Nagasaki there? Is the Centre a fool? Are members of the expert committee (to look into the feasibility of the island for a chemical hub) fools?” said Bhattcharjee.

As for returning the land at Singur, the chief minister vehemently refused Trinamool’s demand. At a rally in Singur, Mamata Banerjee, on Saturday, had given an ultimatum of seven days to the state government for returning the land. “The land was acquired for setting up industries and there is no question of returning the land. It will be used for setting up industries,” said the chief minister.

He also had a strong message for the separatists, who seem to be determined in dividing the state. “Some people at Darjeeling want a separate state. Trouble is brewing Lalgarh. And between all this stands Trinamool Congress,” said Bhattacharjee. He ruled out the possibility of a Gorkhaland and said: “I have told them: you take more money, more power, but no separate state can be given.”