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D Raja meets Kanhaiya Kumar, rubbishes reports of latter joining Congress
“I did ask him about the speculations. And after our conversation, I want to condemn these ongoing speculations. He is the youngest member of our national executive and as asset for the party,” Raja told HT
Communist Party of India general secretary D Raja met party leader Kanhaiya Kumar here on Thursday amid intense speculations of the latter’s joining the Congress party.
“I did ask him about the speculations. And after our conversation, I want to condemn these ongoing speculations. He is the youngest member of our national executive and as asset for the party,” Raja told HT.
But a section of the party is sceptical as Kumar, arguably the most poplar CPI leader among the young people, has remained silent about the rumours on public platforms. He has met Rahul Gandhi recently—a step widely seen as a precursor to his joining of the Congress party.
Raja, however, defended Kumar and said, “He is a member of our national executive (equivalent to CPIM politburo). He is free to meet any political leader. Would you speculate if he meets Sitaram Yechury? Earlier, he has met other political leaders too.”
Raja and Kumar met at the Ajoy Bhawan, the CPI headquarters in New Delhi.
Also Read | Kanhaiya trashes talks of joining Congress
In the last election, Kumar was the CPI candidate in Begusarai but lost the election. His popularity soared during his tenure as the president of the JNU students union even as he courted major controversies.
CPI leaders claimed that Kumar has refuted the speculations in his personal meetings with CPI leaders. He has been appointed in the central executive of the party and is currently its youngest member of the top executive body.
But some Congress leaders are hopeful that Kumar will join the party at some point. The Congress also requires a young, dynamic leader in Bihar where its political fortunes have plummeted over the years.
Meanwhile, CPI MP Binoy Viswam claimed that the news on Kumar is nothing but fake. “He called me just now, from Ajoy Bhawan. He is the NEC member of the party who is deeply committed to the communist cause,” he said.
