Presidential Election: Brewing discontent in CPI(M) over support of Yashwant Sinha's candidacy

CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member and the party's sole representative from West Bengal, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, sparked the uproar against the decision of the CPI(M) high command to support Yashwant Sinha's candidacy as the sole opponent in the presidential election has caused dissatisfaction within the party. 

The Bengal brigade of the CPI(M), for whom the Trinamool Congress is still the main political rival in the state, is particularly incensed over Sinha's candidacy. Sinha quit his position as the national vice-president of the Trinamool Congress to run for president.

Echoing Bhattacharya, a party central committee member told IANS under the condition of anonymity that Yashwant Sinha was the wrong choice, at least from the perspective of their party.

“Sinha had served as Union finance minister and external affairs minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s cabinet. He has just taken off his coat as the Trinamool Congress’ national vice president for the time being to contest the Presidential polls. From the numerical perspective, Sinha’s defeat is a foregone conclusion. I am sure that he will again assume the chair of Trinamool Congress’ national vice president after his defeat. In such a situation, our party could have kept a distance from the Presidential poll process. Many of us have already started facing questions from our younger comrades on whether this is not a surrender to the arm-twisting tactics of the Trinamool Congress even though it is quite certain that the opposition is fighting a lost battle,” he said.