The attempt by the CPM’s allies to raise Lok Sabha seat-sharing issue during the the LDF leadership meet here on Friday was shot down by the party, which said that other serious issues facing the state needed to be discussed first.
According to sources, the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) raised the issue of seat sharing ahead of the general elections scheduled next year. However, CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan dodged the issue saying that more important issues facing the state, such as the spurt in contagious diseases, malnutrition deaths in Attapadi and misgovernance of the UDF Government, needed to be discussed first. LDF constituents have been drumming up the seat-sharing issue a year ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, much to the inconvenience of the CPM, which has been accused of big-brotherly attitude towards the allies in seat-sharing matters. The CPI, the second largest constituent in the LDF, had been demanding swapping of the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat with any other seat, where the party has better electoral prospects.
This was after a meeting of the party’s central executive last week when the issue was discussed. CPI legislature party leader C Divakaran had told the media the other day that along with swapping of Wayanad seat, the party had also decided not to part with the Thiruvananthapauram Lok Sabha seat, which it had been representing for many decades.
The LDF leadership meeting decided to launch an agitation programme on June 17 against the “misgovernance of the UDF Government and its total failure in tackling the burning issues of the people”.
