CPI-M to back 'acceptable' opposition candidate for RS from Bengal

After refusing to field its General Secretary, Sitaram Yechury, for a third Rajya Sabha term from West Bengal, the CPI-M on Wednesday said it would support an 'acceptable' independent candidate of the opposition parties in the biennial poll, failing which it will consider contesting the seat.

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, which met on Tuesday, rejected the West Bengal State Committee's proposal to put up Yechury for the third term in the Rajya Sabha.

Yechury told reporters on Wednesday that there were three reasons for the refusal.

First reason he cited was that the party was averse to the idea of taking The Congress's support, which it had to since it does not have the required numbers to secure the seat on its own. The second reason was that the party wanted the General Secretary to "spend more time with the party and the organisation".

The third reason, Yechury said, was the party norm which does not allow more than two terms for a member of Parliament.

When asked whether the CPI-M will support a Congress candidate for the sixth Rajya Sabha seat from West Bengal, Yechury said only an independent candidate "acceptable to all opposition parties" will be considered by the party.

He added that in a situation where a consensus could not be reached, the CPI-M along with other Left parties will consider fielding their own candidate.

--IANS

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