New Delhi, July 17 (IANS) The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Thursday attacked the Congress leadership for taking “recourse to convicted criminals for sustaining their government” and questioned their “political morality”. “It is reported that some of the Lok Sabha members who have been convicted for serious crimes and who are in jail are being mobilised to support the confidence vote in the Lok Sabha,” said a statement issued by the party’s politburo.

Naming MPs like Rajiv Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, Mohammed Shahabuddin and Surajbhan Singh, it said: “While legally they may get the right to attend parliament and vote there is a question of political morality involved.

“The Congress leadership will be seen by the entire country as taking recourse to convicted criminals for sustaining their government,” the statement said.

Pappu Yadav, a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP, has been convicted for the murder of Ajit Sarkar, a CPI-M legislator, while Shahabuddin, also an RJD MP, has been convicted in a case of kidnapping with intent to murder. He has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Surajbhan Singh, a Lok Janshakti Party MP, has been convicted in a murder case and sentenced to a life term.

The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government faces a crucial floor test July 22 after the Left parties withdrew support to it on July 9 following differences over the India-US nuclear deal.