Kanhaiya Kumar: Open to contest polls, but my party would take a call

With his name making the rounds for contesting 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Begusarai, former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar stated on Sunday that only Communist Party of India and its alliance would take a call on this. He informed that though he is open for the challenge, but the party has still not started the process of sending recommendations as of yet.

Expressing his views on the above issue, he said, as quoted by the Indian Express, “I have always said that I am keen to join the parliamentary process. But it is my party that has to take a call on it by starting the due process. Whether I contest or not is not important. What is important is the need to stitch together a united front. I have been meeting young leaders across the country under my programme ‘Save Constitution, Save India’.”

Kanhaiya, though belonging from Begusarai in Bihar, was not open to speaking on whether he would be contesting from his native place. He said that it is for the party to decide whether they want him to contest or not and added that he open to contest from any place, provided being asked for.

Kanhaiya said, “I will be visiting Karnataka to attend first death anniversary commemoration of Gauri Lankesh. I had been in Maharashtra. The whole idea is to keep moving and galvanising young leaders.” Eminent journalist Gauri Lankesh was murdered on September 5, last year, allegedly by Hindutva outfits for voicing her opinions.

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