This Article is From May 21, 2017

CPM's Sitaram Yechury Says Will Not Contest Rajya Sabha Polls In August

He also said that CPI(M) wants a common candidate against BJP in the presidential elections and all anti-BJP forces should unite.

CPM's Sitaram Yechury Says Will Not Contest Rajya Sabha Polls In August

CPM chief Sitaram Yechury's Rajya Sabha term ends in August.

Agartala: Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said he will not contest for a Rajya Sabha berth when his term ends in August this year.

"There is a norm in our party that any party member will not contest in the Rajya Sabha election for three terms and I have to abide by the norm. I have said this earlier also," he told reporters in Agartala.

Mr Yechury and party Politburo member Prakash Karat are in Agartala to attend the two-day state committee meeting of the CPI(M), which began yesterday. The meeting discussed strategies for the Assembly elections in Tripura to be held in February next year.

"BJP has now targeted Tripura and has resorted to all techniques including unleashing violence and pumping money to capture power in Tripura. We are prepared to fight them. There will be 60 battles in 60 constituencies. It will be the waterloo for BJP and Amit Shah. We have no doubt about our victory," Mr Yechury told a press conference.

He also described the three years of PM Narendra Modi as "three years of failure".

"The NDA government showed hope that good days were coming and every year two crore jobs will be offered... It is shining for rich and miserable for poor," he said.

"Where is the success? The government should celebrate three years of failure," the CPI(M) general secretary added.

"This government is trying to fan communal sentiment. These are illegal and should be withdrawn forthwith," Mr Yechury alleged.

He also said that CPI(M) wants a common candidate against BJP in the presidential elections and all anti-BJP forces should unite. 
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