CPI(M) for consensual 'secular' candidate for President

The CPI(M) today said that like- minded opposition parties should work towards fielding a consensual candidate for the presidential election to ensure "secular supervision" of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The election is to be held before July 24 this year.
The CPI(M) said it will take initiative to hold a national-level 'anti-communalism' convention against the alleged communal onslaught by right-wing organisations.
The CPI(M) will also hold all-India protest seeking passage of women reservation bill in Lok Sabha before next monsoon session, its general secretary Sitaram Yechury told reporters after the party's two-day central committee meeting here.
"We (secular opposition parties) should work for a consensual candidate. According to us, the secular supervision of the Rashtrapati Bhavan is very important in the present context as opposed to communal supervision," Yechury said.

On the call given by various opposition leaders including TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, Yechury underscored the need to give people alternate narrative to the one offered by BJP.

He said the intention should not be to just bring opposition parties together, but come together on the basis of issues concerning people.
Yechury said the Prime Minister's recent pitch against 'triple talaq' to ensure exploitation of Muslim women ends is actually a "concern aimed at sharpening communal polarisation".
Instead, the ruling BJP should try to pass women reservation bill, adopted by Rajya Sabha, in Lok Sabha.
"The BJP promised this in its manifesto. Why it is not passing it despite having majority? We will stage an all-India one-day protest on the eve of monsoon session of Parliament on the issue," he added.

To a question whether the CPI(M) will contest May 14 civic polls in West Bengal in alliance with other parties, Yechury said the Left party will take a call in this connection based on state committee's report in this case.
The state committee is slated to meet on April 26 and April 27 to discuss the issue.