At the bipartite meeting between CPM and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) held at Alimuddin Street, the latter is learnt to have unofficially lobbied with the “big brother” to nominate its candidate to the Rajya Sabha, in place of the Bloc candidate.

According to sources, at the meeting, Bhattacharjee termed the idea of nominating a candidate other than a Forward Bloc member for the seat as “absurd”. The decision on who would be nominated to the Rajya Sabha seat did not depend on the current political tension between the Bloc and the CPM, the chief minister added, said sources.

All-India Forward Bloc General Secretary Debabrata Biswas is one of the five representatives in Rajya Sabha from West Bengal, whose term is to expire this month.

“According to tradition, the seat has always been occupied by a Forward Bloc member. However, a final decision will only be taken at the next Left Front meeting on March 6,” said RSP state secretary Debabrata Bandopadhyay.

Meanwhile, sources also said that Democratic Socialist Party (DSP) — one of the nine partners of the Left Front—¿ has asked CPM to nominate its candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat that is being vacated.