RPT-Czech leftist quits, right sticks to election call

(Repeats story published late on Wednesday)

By Jan Lopatka

PRAGUE, Oct 25 (Reuters) - A leftist Social Democrat member of the Czech parliament quit his parliamentary party on Wednesday, dealing a blow to the party's standing in a battle for control of parliament and the government.

A defection of any deputy is very important in the lower house of parliament, where leftist and centre-right camps hold 100 seats each since a national election in June.

But the right-wing Civic Democrat government, which lost a confidence vote earlier this month, will not try to enlist the defector and will stick to its demand for early elections next year, Deputy Prime Minister Petr Necas told Reuters.

"It is impossible to build a government without a stable political agreement on the basis of the defection of this or another deputy, or even of several deputies," Necas said.

"We consider an early election to be the only honest, proper and rational solution to the current situation," he said.

The resignation triggered minor gains in the crown currency as speculation grew the right-wingers may put together a majority, but it soon fizzled out as it became clear they would not try to enlist the deputy, Michal Pohanka.

The crown traded at 28.36 to the euro <EURCZK=> at 1330 GMT, up 0.14 percent on the day.

PRESSURE OVER TV REPORT

Pohanka said in a statement his departure was due to pressure from parliamentary party chief Michal Hasek that he give up his seat after a television report connecting him with people charged by police with fraud. He has called the report an unfounded attack.

Hasek denied there was any pressure on Pohanka to give up his seat.

"We are trying to get in touch with Pohanka and ... would like to discuss this with him in person," he told Reuters.

A resignation from parliament would give the party the right to appoint another of its members to the seat.

Political analyst Josef Mlejnek Junior said the resignation boosted the chances of an early election if rightists can persuade Pohanka to support the idea.

The Social Democrats oppose early polls. They have in the past demanded they be given a chance to find 101 votes in the lower house to form a cabinet. They have also proposed a grand coalition but have been rebuffed by the Civic Democrats.

"Any deputy who defects from a big party has a vital interest in keeping the parliament in office for the whole four years, because early elections mean the loss of their mandate. But if they (rightists) take a pragmatic stance and offer him an alternative, compensation ... he may support early elections," Mlejnek said. (Additional reporting by Jan Korselt) ((Reporting by Jan Lopatka and Jan Korselt, editing by Steve Pagani; prague.newsroom@reuters.com; Reuters Messaging: jan.lopatka.reuters.com@reuters.net; +420-224 190 474))

Keywords: CZECH POLITICS