Top CPI leaders meet Jaya, seek support for RS candidate

Top CPI leaders, A B Bardhan and Sudhakar Reddy, today met AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa here to seek support of the ruling party in Tamil Nadu for its Rajya Sabha candidate.
"She told us she has declared (her candidates for) five seats and hopes to win those five. She wished us well for the elections," Bardhan told reporters after a 30-minute meeting he and the CPI General Secretary had with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.
She also informed the CPI leaders that the AIADMK would not have much extra votes to share. "We will have to go back to our party and discuss the outcome of our meeting," Bardhan said.

The party is yet to take a formal decision on renominating D Raja or nominate anyone else as its Rajya Sabha candidate.
The Rajya Sabha tenure of Raja, along with A Elavarasan, V Maitreyan (both AIADMK), Kanimozhi, Tiruchi N Siva (both DMK) and B S Gnanadesikan (Cong) expires on July 27.
The Election Commission has decided to hold biennial elections to six Rajya Sabha seats from Tamil Nadu falling vacant in July. The notification would be issued on June 10 and the date of poll, if necessary, would be on June 27.