Presidential Poll: CPI-M, to back Pranab, CPI to abstain

The Left parties today failed to reach a consensus on the presidential election with two of the four Left parties supporting UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee and the other two deciding to abstain.

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), and the Forward Bloc said after the meeting that they will support Pranab. While the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) will abstain from the July 19 voting.

"We have agreed to disagree," said Sitaram Yechury of the CPM, which will back Mr Mukherjee.

CPI leader A B Bardhan said “the Left parties have decided to name their individual candidates for the Presidential election and will inform separately of their decision.” He also pointed out that Left is united.  

TJ Chandrachoodan, RSP leader while briefing media said that due to the present political scenario we have decided to abstain from the poll, but he assured that there are no differences in Left parties on other issues.