THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after the Congress held bilateral talks on seat sharing with IUML leaders, they held preliminary discussions with PJ Joseph faction of Kerala Congress (M), RSP, Kerala Congress (Jacob) and CMP. The Joseph faction remained firm on its demand to maintain status quo and allot them 15 seats in the assembly elections. It also apprised the Congress of its decision not to part with the Perambra, Taliparamba and Alathur seats. On Wednesday, the IUML had demanded six seats more than the 24 it had contested in the last assembly elections.
Contrary to earlier reports that the bilateral talks would be held at Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala’s official residence of Cantonment House, the venue was discreetly changed to his private residence and also at UDF convener M M Hassan’s house, both at Vazhuthacaud here.
A KC(M) leader told TNIE that Thursday’s talks were only “preliminary”. “We have apprised the Congress leadership of our stand that we do not wish to part with Perambra (Kozhikode), Taliparamba (Kannur) and Alathur (Palakkad) seats in Malabar. The second round of talks will be held after Chennithala’s Aishwarya Kerala Yatra,” said the leader. In all likelihood, the faction will get 10-12 seats, the same that LDF will offer Jose K Mani.
In the talks, RSP demanded two more seats than the five — Attingal, Chavara, Kunnathoor, Eravipuram and Kaippamangalam — that it contested in 2016. Forward Bloc demanded one seat each in Kollam and Alappuzha districts.