<p>The Left parties Thursday failed to reach consensus on the presidential election with two of the four parties, including the CPI-M, supporting UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee and the other two deciding to abstain.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"Four Left parties differed on presidential poll issue. Two decided that they will support (United Progressive Alliance candidate) Pranab (Mukherjee) while two others will abstain," Communist Party of India (CPI) leader A.B. Bardhan told reporters after the meeting.<br /><br />A Left leader said while the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Forward Bloc have decided to support Mukherjee, the CPI and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) will abstain.<br /><br />CPI-M in a statement said: "The Politburo of the CPI-M discussed the forthcoming president election. The CPI-M decided to support the candidature of Pranab Mukherjee in the present situation."<br /><br />"He is the candidate for the post of the president who has widest acceptance. The CPI-M will continue to oppose the UPA government and resolutely fight neo-liberal economic policies being pursued which are against the interest of the people," it added</p>
<p>The Left parties Thursday failed to reach consensus on the presidential election with two of the four parties, including the CPI-M, supporting UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee and the other two deciding to abstain.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"Four Left parties differed on presidential poll issue. Two decided that they will support (United Progressive Alliance candidate) Pranab (Mukherjee) while two others will abstain," Communist Party of India (CPI) leader A.B. Bardhan told reporters after the meeting.<br /><br />A Left leader said while the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Forward Bloc have decided to support Mukherjee, the CPI and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) will abstain.<br /><br />CPI-M in a statement said: "The Politburo of the CPI-M discussed the forthcoming president election. The CPI-M decided to support the candidature of Pranab Mukherjee in the present situation."<br /><br />"He is the candidate for the post of the president who has widest acceptance. The CPI-M will continue to oppose the UPA government and resolutely fight neo-liberal economic policies being pursued which are against the interest of the people," it added</p>