CPI renominates Raja for Rajya Sabha

The Communist Party of India (CPI) has decided to renominate D. Raja for the June 27 Rajya Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu, the party said Sunday.

CPI general secretary Sudhakar Reddy said Raja will file his nomination papers Monday and the party would welcome support from other parties.

The CPI has eight members in the Tamil Nadu assembly while the Communist Party of India-Marxist has 10 legislators. The CPI is also counting on the support of Forward Bloc's sold member.

Six Rajya Sabha members from the state, including Raja, will retire next month.

The other five are A. Elavarasan and V. Maitreyan from the AIADMK, Tiruchi N. Siva and Kanimozhi from the DMK, and B.S. Gnanadesikan of the Congress.

Already five candidates from AIADMK - Maitreyan, K.R. Arjunan, T. Rathinavel, R. Lakshmanan and Thangamuthu - have filed their nomination papers. Kanmozhi did so Saturday.

While the AIADMK has a strength of 151 (including the speaker) in the 235-member house, the DMDK has 29 legislators, the DMK 23, CPI-M 10, CPI 8 and Congress 5.

A candidate needs 34 votes to get elected, and AIADMK is expecting to win five seats with the help of friendly parties and take its tally in the Rajya Sabha to eight from the current five.

Kanimozhi's election depends on the support the DMK gets from parties like the Congress, DMDK and others.