JNUSU leader Kanhaiya Kumar to campaign for Left parties in West Bengal: Reports

Jawaharlal Nehru University Student's Union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya Kumar will campaign for the Left parties for the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury reportedly said Friday.

"All students supporting the Left will participate in the campaign, along with Kanhaiya. For the first time, the nation can see the power of the youth of the Left," ANI quoted Yechury as saying.

The CPI(M) has sought assurance from the Central government that there would be a "fair" election in West Bengal this year, Yechury said.

"There should absolutely be no violence, which is all we want. You cannot leave this responsibility on the state police," he said.

Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi announced Friday elections to the 294 Assembly seats in West Bengal would be held in six phases. The first phase of polling will be held April 4 and 11, second April 17, third April 21, fourth April 15, fifth April 30 and sixth May 5. The results will be declared May 19, 2016.

Kumar was arrested Feb. 12 on charges of sedition and criminal conspiracy for organising an event Feb. 9 allegedly against the "judicial killing" of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and shouting anti-India slogans. He was released Thursday after the Delhi High Court granted him interim bail for six months.