THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Will the CPM sacrifice its Rajya Sabha seat in favour of a consensus in the ruling LDF? If preliminary discussions under way in the CPM are anything to go by, the party might hand over its Rajya Sabha seat to the Kerala Congress (M), if neither KC(M) nor the CPI compromises on its claim for a berth in the upper house.
Of the three RS seats of the LDF that fall vacant on July 1, it will be able to hold on to just two in the current situation. Talks are on to give the CPM’s RS berth to the KC(M). The CPI has already made it clear that it is not willing for a compromise.
However, there is every chance, going by the past instances, that CPM will try its best to divide the two RS seats between the CPI and itself. The CPM secretariat has asked the LDF convenor to start bilateral discussions with all stakeholders. CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam and KC(M) chairman Jose K Mani were in New Delhi to attend the INDIA bloc leaders’ meeting on Friday, and will return to Kerala on Saturday. The CPM will hold talks with the CPI and KC(M) first. The RJD has also staked a claim over the vacant RS seat. Meanwhile, a few names in the CPM are being considered if the Left party decides to hold on to an RS seat. CPM central committee member C S Sujatha and state committee member Puthalath Dineshan are among them. If bilateral discussions with LDF partners are over by Sunday, an LDF meeting will be held on Monday after the CPM secretariat meeting.