COIMBATORE: Allies CPI and CPM on Thursday snapped ties with the DMK expressing disappointment over seat sharing talks for Kannampalayam town panchayat. With support from KMDK, another DMK ally, the Left parties formed People's Service Front, which will contest in 11 wards out of 15 in Kannampalayam. CPI will contest in 10 wards and CPM from one. Sources said the move comes after the DMK refused to give CPI the chairman post.
Left functionaries alleged that DMK leaders dominated seat-sharing talks and it forced them to face elections alone. "DMK leaders turned a deaf ear to our requests for seat allotment, even though we have a strong vote bank in the panchayat. We are contesting alone for several reasons, including the issues of seat-sharing. It would only be a friendly match with the DMK," CPI candidate R Malathy said.
Kannampalayam has a total of 16,861 voters. The CPI won three local elections in this panchayat between 1996 and 2011.
Further, Left functionaries clarified that the arrangement is only for the town panchayat. "We are forced to separate from the alliance because were denied maximum number of seats. We hope this does not create any issues in our alliance at the State-level," said P Mounasamy, CPI (M) candidate and former vice president of the panchayat.