THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The lack of a clear-cut stand by various Left fringe groups in the state for the local body elections once again exposes the confusion prevailing among these parties.
Though the CPM has decided to align with CPI (ML-Red Flag) in the poll, it has been confined to only two districts. While CPI (ML) has decided to go alone and contest in almost 70 seats spread across 12 districts, the CPI(ML-Red flag) will contest in 98 seats. SUCI, another Left fringe group, has decided not to contest the elections.
As the seat-sharing talks between the CPM and CPI(ML- Red Flag) did not progress beyond certain pockets, the seat-sharing agreement was restricted to some panchayats in Pathanamthitta and Thrissur districts.
CPI (ML) Red Flag State Secretary P.C. Unnichekkan told Express that the CPM had come forward for local-level seat-sharing arrangements in many districts. “However, the seat-sharing materialised only in two districts. As we did not want to strengthen the poll prospects of the UDF, we decided to contest only in those seats where we had a fair chance of victory. During the last panchayat elections, our party had won three seats in Nayarambalam panchayat in Ernakulam.
As we did not want to share power with the DIC, we extended outside support to the CPM, who were in an alliance with the DIC. Our stand was vindicated as the DIC later ditched the CPM to align with the UDF to oust the LDF from power. This time, the CPM decided to contest in the three seats where we had won. So in Nayarambalam we are going it alone. Last time, we lost in a few seats in some panchayats like Kodanthuruthu in Alappuzha by a few votes’’,he said.
CPI(ML)general secretary K.N. Ramachandran said that the party would go all alone in 60 to 70 seats in the local body elections. ‘’We have decided to contest as part of the efforts to create a people’s alternative to globalisation policies. In the last panchayat elections, we could win as many as 15 seats in Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts,’’ he said.
CPI (ML) Red Flag was formed in 1988 as a breakaway group from the Central Reorganisation Committee of CPI(ML). In 2003, a large section of the party in the State led by P.C. Unnichekkan and M.S. Jayakumar left the party.
This party continues to use the name CPI(ML) Red Flag. The other faction with K.N. Ramachandran as the general secretary is called CPI(ML).
