New Delhi: Ahead of a meeting of the four Left parties today, sources have told NDTV that Pranab Mukherjee has spoken to CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat and sought his support. The Prime Minister had also spoken to Mr Karat on June 15, the day the UPA named Mr Mukherjee as its candidate.
Top leaders of Left parties will meet in New Delhi on Thursday to take a decision on which candidate to support in the presidential poll.
Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury and S Ramachandran Pillai (CPI-M), A B Bardhan, Sudhakar Reddy and D Raja (CPI), Debabrata Biswas and G Deverajan (Forward Bloc) and T J Chandrachoodan (RSP) are expected to attend the meeting.
Before the meeting of Left parties around 4 pm, the CPI-M Politburo is also expected to meet in the morning
The Left parties, which account for 4.7% of the votes (around 51,000 vote value in the electoral college of 10.98 lakh vote value), have maintained a suspense on the issue of support to the UPA nominee, saying they were not bound to back the ruling coalition's candidate.
"We are not bound, we are not part of the alliance of Congress and UPA that we have to support anybody they propose," CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat has said.
The CPI-M had earlier decided to consult secular and Left parties before finalising a stand on supporting a Presidential candidate.
Top leadership of UPA has already spoken to Karat and Bardhan seeking their support for Mukherjee.
The Presidential poll, slated next month, was also discussed in the recent CPI (M) central committee meeting, which authorised the Politburo to formulate the party's strategy on the election after discussing the issue with other Left and like-minded secular parties.
Top leaders of Left parties will meet in New Delhi on Thursday to take a decision on which candidate to support in the presidential poll.
Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury and S Ramachandran Pillai (CPI-M), A B Bardhan, Sudhakar Reddy and D Raja (CPI), Debabrata Biswas and G Deverajan (Forward Bloc) and T J Chandrachoodan (RSP) are expected to attend the meeting.
The Left parties, which account for 4.7% of the votes (around 51,000 vote value in the electoral college of 10.98 lakh vote value), have maintained a suspense on the issue of support to the UPA nominee, saying they were not bound to back the ruling coalition's candidate.
Advertisement
The CPI-M had earlier decided to consult secular and Left parties before finalising a stand on supporting a Presidential candidate.
Advertisement
The Presidential poll, slated next month, was also discussed in the recent CPI (M) central committee meeting, which authorised the Politburo to formulate the party's strategy on the election after discussing the issue with other Left and like-minded secular parties.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Trump Leads Harris On Who Will Handle Israel, Ukraine Wars Better: Poll Who is JD Vance, The Republican Vice-Presidential Pick? After Sitaram Yechury's Death, Prakash Karat To Be Interim Coordinator Of CPI(M) Polit Bureau Hamas Confirms Yahya Sinwar Killed By Israel, Won't Free Hostages Until... MK Stalin Asks Centre To Recall Tamil Nadu Governor In Row Over Anthem Drone Footage Of Hamas Chief Yahya Sinwar's Last Moments Released By Israel UPSC ESE 2025: Application Window Reopens, Check Deadline And Key Details Australia's Northern Territory To Soon Resume Jailing 10-Year-Olds If You Doing Things After Eating A Meal, You Must Stop Right Away Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.