Putting to rest speculation over his re-election to the Rajya Sabha, CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Sunday said he will not seek a third term in the Upper House when his term expires in August. The final decision on the matter, however, will be taken by the party. “We follow a two-term norm in our party. As General Secretary, it is my duty to uphold the norm. There is no rule or constitutional mention, but that is a norm we all follow.” Yechury told The Indian Express. Yechury is an MP from West Bengal. His term expires in August and the CPM or the Left parties do not have the required numbers to get him re-elected from West Bengal. But prospects of his re-election opened up after the Congress conveyed to the CPM that it was willing to give up its claim and support it, provided Yechury is the candidate. State Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had told The Indian Express that he “personally does not have any opposition” if the Congress high command decides to give up the party’s claim to a Rajya Sabha seat and back Yechury. Nine members will retire in August, six from Bengal and three from Gujarat. The Trinamool Congress has the strength to get five of its members elected. The Left, which has 33 members, cannot get its candidate elected without the support of the Congress. The Congress has 44 members and can get its candidate elected without any hitch. Yechury made his stand clear to end speculation in the party over his re-election. A section in the party is of the view that he cannot be given an exception. Meanwhile, sources in the party indicated there is also a debate in the party on the need for revisiting it stand of no electoral understanding with the Congress.
