Uncertainty hangs over CPI(M)’s nomination
KOLKATA: Two days after CPI-M hardliners blocked general secretary Sitaram Yechury’s chances of returning to the Rajya Sabha for the third time, the Bengal unit of the party on Friday fielded former Kolkata mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya for the same seat although he had little chance of winning.
Bhattacharya’s journey however ran into rough weather. The Election Commission of India rejected his nomination on technical ground, saying he filed his papers beyond the deadline. CPI-M leaders argued that Bhattacharya filed his nomination in the morning and submitted the affidavit on personal assets two minutes before 3 pm, the deadline. Jayanta Kolay, secretary of the Bengal assembly and returning officer for the election, however said he received the affidavit after 3 pm. Friday was the last day for filing nomination. The nomination papers will be scrutinised again on Saturday.
The drama over a possible contest between the Congress and CPI-M — allies in Bengal till now — for the state’s sixth Rajya Sabha seat appeared fruitless although CPI-M leaders continued to argue with Kolay till late evening. The returning officer did not change his decision. It became apparent that the remaining six candidates would go to the Upper House of the Parliament unopposed.
With 31 MLAs in the assembly, the Left Front partners didn’t have the strength to ensure victory for Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya. On the other hand, Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee announced her support for the Congress candidate, former PCC president Pradip Bhattacharya. As a leading lawyer, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya played a key role in public interest litigations that sought CBI inquiry into the recent chit fund scams.
CPI-M leaders said the decision to contest was taken because TMC announced its support for the Congress nominee. Political observers felt that the development not only indicated a growing distance between the Left and Congress but also pointed at a possible alliance between Trinamool and Congress.
The Congress had earlier offered to back Yechury. Congress president Sonia Gandhi cleared Bhattacharya’s candidature on Thursday only after hardliners in the CPI-M central committee met in Delhi and argued that the party should not take help from Congress. Their decision irritated a large section of leaders in the CPI-M, especially those from Bengal, who were keen to see Yechury serving a third term.
Interestingly, the CPI-M, other Left parties, Congress and Trinamool supported Meira Kumar and Gopal Krishna Gandhi as their presidential and vice presidential nominees. The equations however changed this week.
“We will have six extra votes after getting our five candidates elected. These votes will go to Pradip Bhattacharya. The decision has been taken by chief minister Mamata Banerjee,” said Tapas Roy, veteran Trinamool leader and MLA.