The Communist Party of India said it would prefer a non-Congress candidate for the vice-president's post and did not rule out Left parties fielding their own nominee.
HYDERABAD: The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Monday said it would prefer a non-Congress candidate for the vice-president's post and did not rule out Left parties fielding their own nominee.
CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan said the candidate for vice-president should come from non-Congress parties.
"He should be from non-Congress parties but it is yet to be decided. We have to discuss this with other parties (in the ruling United Progressive Alliance or UPA) and arrive at a consensus," Bardhan said at a news conference.
Bardhan did not rule out Left parties fielding their candidate for the post of vice-president. "Let the presidential election be over. There is still time to discuss. Nobody is barred from contesting the election for the vice-president's post," he said when asked whether Left parties were keen to have their nominee for the post.
Incumbent Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat's term ends Aug 19.
Bardhan urged the newly formed United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) - an alliance of eight regional parties that wanted President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to continue as president - to support UPA-Left candidate Pratibha Patil for the post.
"UNPA friends should now come out and support Patil because they are left with no candidate. They can contribute to the historic victory of a woman for the top post," he said.
"UNPA friends should realise that what they are attempting is an exercise in futility." Kalam has already ruled out contesting for a second term. The presidential polls will be held on July 19.
The CPI leader said the choice for UNPA was "between a secular woman and a person with a communal background". He was referring to Vice President Shekhawat, who is contesting the poll as an independent with support from the opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Refusing to call UNPA the third front, Bardhan reiterated that an alternative to the Congress and BJP should emerge based on people's issues such as housing for the poor, food security, non-aligned foreign policy and prices of essential commodities.
"A third alternative should have the Left and democratic parties in it. It can't be formed by the coming together of parties from scattered states," he added.
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