THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : With the Lok Sabha elections around the corner, the Congress leadership in the state is scheduled to start bilateral talks on seat sharing with its UDF allies this week. The first such meeting is slated with the Kerala Congress (Joseph) on Thursday.
However, all eyes are set on Monday’s talks with the IUML when the League is expected to demand one more seat to its existing quota of two Lok Sabha seats, Malappuram and Ponnani. It is likely to demand either Kasaragod or Kannur.
“We have every right to demand a third Lok Sabha seat. This has already been discussed within the party. I cannot say which extra seat we would demand, Kasaragod or Kannur.
It all depends on how the bilateral talks progress,” said senior IUML leader and Ponnani MP E T Muhammed Basheer.
Echoing Basheer, UDF convener M M Hassan said, “It’s too early to say anything on seat sharing. Let the bilateral talks happen. Only then will a clear picture emerge.”
The KC (Joseph) is expected to demand the Kottayam seat, and is likely to get it. Senior leader Francis George, son of Kerala Congress founder the late K M George, is tipped to be the party nominee in the seat, currently held by Thomas Chazhikadan of the Kerala Congress (Mani).
“Our priority now is to get the seat for our party. We will decide on the candidate later,” Francis George told TNIE.
Meanwhile, Congress leaders in Kasaragod and Kannur are anxiously waiting for the outcome of Monday’s meeting.
With sitting MP from Kannur K Sudhakaran deciding not to contest, the IUML feels it’ll be comparatively easy for the party to successfully stake claim for the seat. But, it’s not going to be that smooth as at least half-a-dozen Congress hopefuls, mainly youth leaders, have set their eyes on the seat.
In Kasaragod, sitting MP Rajmohan Unnithan is unlikely to yield the seat that easily to the IUML.
Among the rest of the UDF partners, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) is certain to get its sitting seat of Kollam. The remaining ones do not harbour any hopes.