UPDATE 1-Czech leftist MP quits, right sticks to election call

(Adds Civic Democrats, Social Democrats, Pohanka quote)

By Jan Korselt

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

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

"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 told Reuters.

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

It was not known whether the deputy, Michal Pohanka, planned to join any other parliamentary caucus or sit as an independent in the 200-seat lower house.

The deputy said in a statement that his departure was due to pressure from caucus 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.

"The dominant feeling that seized our deputies and me as well this morning was horror and confusion over what colleague Pohanka did (in quitting the party group)," Hasek told Reuters.

"We are trying to get in touch with Pohanka and ... would like to discuss this with him in person," he said, denying there was any pressure on Pohanka to give up his seat.

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

President Vaclav Klaus, who is looking for another prime minister to replace Civic Democrat leader Mirek Topolanek after the failure of the confidence vote, has said he wants an agreement among political parties on forming a stable government or a temporary one leading the country toward early election.

The Social Democrats oppose early polls. They have in the past demanded that 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 Dmeocrats.

Fresh talks on forming a government are expected to start next week, after the second round of elections for one third of the upper house, the Senate, this weekend. ((Reporting by Jan Lopatka and Jan Korselt, editing by Andrew Roche; prague.newsroom@reuters.com; Reuters Messaging: jan.lopatka.reuters.com@reuters.net; +420-224 190 474))

Keywords: CZECH POLITICS