CPM to take 'appropriate' call on Yechury's RS election

The CPI(M) today said it will take an "appropriate" call on whether to elect its general secretary Sitaram Yechury to the Rajya Sabha for a third term in a row after notification for the election to the Upper House is out.
Yechury himself made a statement in this connection after the CPI(M) politburo discussed a proposal of the party's West Bengal unit that he be re-elected to the Rajya Sabha.
The politburo, the key decision-making body of the party, though has forwarded the proposal in this connection to the central committee, sources in the Left party said.
The central committee is set to meet towards the end of next month.

Yechury is a two-time Rajya Sabha MP. His current tenure will end in August. As per the CPI(M) convention, a person is not sent to the Upper House of Parliament for more than two terms.
"The notification for the Rajya Sabha has not come yet. When that notification comes, at that time an appropriate decision will be taken by the party," Yechury told reporters here after the politburo's two-day meeting concluded here.

Yechury though also reiterated his stand that he will not violate the party norm relating to number of terms for which a party member is sent to the Rajya Sabha.

According to the sources, while the West Bengal unit is for resending Yechury to Parliament, the Kerala unit is not impressed by the idea.
Six Rajya Sabha MPs from Bengal will retire in July. As per the strength of the parties in the Assembly, the TMC can send five MPs and Congress one, to the Rajya Sabha.
The Congress though has said that it is ready to give up the seat to CPI(M) only if Yechury contested it, the sources added.
The CPI(M)-led Left Front has 32 MLAs in the West Bengal Assembly, the Congress has 44 and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has 211.