The Hindu : National : Basu against `communal party' candidate

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 01, 2007
ePaper

National

National

Basu against `communal party' candidate

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: The Communist Party of India(Marxist) will not support the candidate of "a communal party" for the presidential elections, Marxist leader Jyoti Basu said here on Thursday.

Earlier, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat called on him. "He [Mr. Shekhawat] was discussing the presidential election [with me]. I said that you should discuss the matter with our people in Delhi... I can't say anything," Mr. Basu later told newspersons.

The CPI(M) has "not yet decided" but "there is no question of supporting a candidate of a communal party," he said. "The Congress wants its own candidate and we are talking to the Congress [though] I do not know who their [the Congress] candidate is."

He added: "The last time because of the Bharatiya Janata Party putting up a candidate for President we did not support him. But this time we are talking with the Congress... We shall see. We are still discussing [the matter with the Congress]."

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National