Left's senior most leader, D Raja to head CPI

New Delhi, July 22: The senior most leader of the Communist Party of India, D Raja has been elected as the general secretary of the party.

The CPI's national council elected Raja as the head of the party at its three day session. The development comes in the wake of Sudhakat Reddy asking the party to relieve him of the responsibility owing to poor health.

During the meeting, former president of the JNU, Kanhaiya Kumar was elected to the party's national executive. During a briefing after being elected, Raja said that he was open to the idea of reuniting left parties under one umbrella. He however added that such a move should be on the basis of policies and principles.

On the electoral losses, he said that the Left may have lost badly, but it is ahead in its struggles for issues relating to the people. The CPI, it may be recalled won just 2 seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.