AGARTALA: CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Sunday Left parties will extend support to the presidential candidate to be put up by the opposition if there is no consensus . Talking to media, Yechury said it is a custom that the government initiates discussion for consensus on the candidate for the President's election. "After detailed discussions over a month we have decided to support the candidate of the opposition because the intention of the government is not clear yet," Yechury said.He maintained, "We believe at this point of time office of the President is most important because of the political situation of the country. President is the custodian of the constitution; we want a secular custodian, not communal."He pointed out that during Vajpayee's regime, the government had sought for a consensus when deciding to nominate APJ Abdul Kalam as Presidential candidate, and the Left supported it. But the present situation seems to be different, as there has been no move from the ruling party till date.Yechury, accompanied by his predecessor Prakash Karat, came here on Saturday to attend a two-day CPM state committee meeting."We have had a detailed discussion on the upcoming assembly election, as Tripura election is considered to be important for the Left's politics in India now. We are ready to fight democratically to the last extent to secure victory," Yechury said.Criticizing BJP, he said BJP wants to make Tripura its stepping stone in the northeast but that the Left Front would not allow this."BJP have declared CPM as its ideological enemy and they would fight to dislodge the Left regime. They won power in Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Goa by money power and here also BJP will play the same tactics but we are ready to counter them," he warned.He said in the three years of Modi's rule, industry, agriculture and employment have suffered badly. "Joblessness has emerged as a major threat in past three years. The rich people became richer and average 12000 farmers committed suicide in past three years. Wheat import bill has reduced to less than minimum support price and debt burden is increasing heavily," Yechury claimed.

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