Sitaram Yechury was re-elected the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) at the 22nd party congress in Hyderabad on Sunday. Yechury took over from Prakash Karat in 2015 during the last meeting of the party’s delegates that was held in Visakhapatnam. The CPI(M)’s constitution allows a member to be elected for a maximum three terms of three years each.

The party also elected a 95-member central committee.

The decision came a day after the party ruled out an alliance with the Congress in the 2019 General Elections. The CPI(M) adopted a resolution that said it was ready for an understanding with the main Opposition party, including cooperating in Parliament on matters of mutual interest, mobilising secular Opposition parties and forces against the Bharatiya Janata Party, and mobilising mass organisations, News 18 reported.

The CPI(M) leadership has been divided over the matter, with Yechury in favour of an alliance and Karat firmly opposed to it. In January, Yechury offered to resign from his position after the Central Committee accepted Karat’s view and rejected his proposal.

Some of Yechury’s supporters even called for a secret ballot to vote on the matter during the ongoing congress. But, Karat opposed the move, saying that the party constitution does not allow such a vote.