BackSitaram Yechury opts out of third term in Rajya Sabha
Sitaram Yechury is a two-time member of the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal
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New Delhi: Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Sunday ruled out the possibility of him seeking a third term in the Rajya Sabha, ending speculation on the matter.
“It has been a norm in our party that no one should be allowed to contest a third term in Rajya Sabha. As general secretary of the party, it is my duty to implement the norm of the party," Yechury told reporters.
Yechury is a two-time member of the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal. His term ends in August along with six other seats from the state.
To elect a member to the Rajya Sabha, the party would need the support of other parties including the Congress. In the West Bengal assembly elections held in 2016, the CPM managed to win only 26 seats which fell short of the numbers needed to elect a member in the upper house. The Congress has 44 seats in the assembly while the Left Front has approximately 30 seats out of a total of 294. The Trinamool Congress won 184 seats in the 2016 assembly election.
The CPM, which is the largest party of the Left Front has seen a sharp fall in its representation in parliament. The party currently has eight members in the Rajya Sabha.
CPM leaders say the rule capping the number of times a legislator can seek election to the upper house was put in place to allow younger leaders a chance to represent the party in the Rajya Sabha.
According to PRS Legislative Research, Yechury’s attendance in parliament is 87%, higher than the national average of 78%. He has taken part in 234 debates and asked 44 questions since June 2009.
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