The Move Forward Party (MFP) leader on Sunday vowed not to join either the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) or the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party to form the next government.
Pita Limjaroenrat was on the party campaign trail in Thon Buri on Sunday when he said the current opposition bloc should look among its own member parties should the situation arise. The party was ready to be part of any alliance formed by the current opposition to set up a new administration.
He also extended his early congratulations to the two presumptive prime ministerial candidates, Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Srettha Thavisin, of the main opposition Pheu Thai Party.
The MFP looks forward to competing with Pheu Thai at the next poll and working with the pair after the election, he said. "We can work on our commonalities rather than our differences," he said.
"But we won't be banding with any party in the hopes of getting cabinet posts," Mr Pita said, adding the outcome of the next poll will naturally decide a suitable government formation formula.
Mr Pita indicated that talk of Pheu Thai and the ruling PPRP combining forces to form a government together would be something beyond the MFP's control.
However, it is within the MFP's power to set its own pre-conditions that it would not get into a government with either the PPRP or UTN. He described them as military outlets under the cloak of political parties.
He insisted the opposition parties have the best policies to overcome the country's challenges.
Calling Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha an expired medicine, Mr Pita said people who are against the administration prolonging its grip on power should cast their ballots for parties which do not condone the status quo.
The next general debate in parliament will help voters make informed choices at the poll. The opposition has filed a motion for the debate which critics said was a campaign gimmick to dig up dirt on the government before the election.
At the MFP campaign rally in Thon Buri on Sunday, Mr Pita introduced nine election candidates in the area covering 10 constituencies.
The MFP leader said the party has retained an edge in Thon Buri, judging by two previous elections: the 2019 general election and the Bangkok councillor election last year.
In the 2019 poll, the now-defunct Future Forward Party, which is the MFP's predecessor, won six of nine MP seats in Thon Buri. In the council election, the MFP was either the winner or the first runner-up in many constituencies.
