Shekhawat fails to woo Basu

By Staff
|
Google Oneindia News

Kolkata, May 31 (UNI) Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today made an abortive move to woo veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu seeking support to his candidature in the Presidential election as the CPI(M) patriarch made it clear that the Left parties would stand by a 'secular' candidate.

The Vice-President met Mr Basu in his residence here on a courtesy visit and both had talked for about 15 minutes.

"We had discussions on the issue of Presidential election. I have requested him to speak with our Delhi-based leaders on this matter," Mr Basu said.

The nonagenarian CPI(M) Polit Bureau member said the Left parties were in talks with the Congress on the issue of Presidential election and their vote would go to a secular candidate.

"We are having talks with the Congress party on this matter. As a matter of principle, CPI(M) does not support any candidate fielded by any communal party," he said.

Mr Shekhawat, however, declined to make any comment to the press.

The Vice-President, who had a couple of programmes in the city, met Mr Basu at his Salt Lake residence, on his way from the NSCBI airport.

The Presidential election is scheduled to be held this August.

Though the BJP had announced the present Vice-President's name for the election, the Congress is yet to disclose the name of its candidate.

UNI

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