After making it clear that they will play a major role in the selection of vice-presidential candidate, the Left parties would begin their internal deliberations from Thursday to find a ?suitable candidate?. The Left leaders, however, said at present they don?t have any name in their mind.
?We are yet to start discussions on the issue. The formal deliberations will take place at the party forum soon,? CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury told FE. Asked on the names being circulated for the post, he said, ?We have not discussed any name. Those being circulated at the moment are just speculations,? he said.
The CPI?s national council meeting would start from Thursday. ?We will discuss the current political situation. President and Vice-President elections will also be on the agenda,? CPI national secretary D Raja said.
Names doing the rounds for the Vice-President?s post include Jamia Milia vice chancellor Mushirul Hasan, West Bengal governor Gopal Gandhi and historian Irfan Habib. The CPI(M) central committee recently decided that the party should suggest a non-Congress person for the post.
Though no formal meeting of the Left parties is scheduled for next week, Left parties sources hinted that there could be informal discussions on Thursday or Friday as the leaders of both the parties would be present in the Capital. Congress president Sonia Gandhi has thrown a dinner to the UPA and Left MPs on July 17.