THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Seat allocation in the ruling Left Democratic Front has reached the final stage. However there’s no consensus on seat sharing. The JD(S) and the LJD will get four seats each while the NCP will be given three seats. The Democratic Kerala Congress is likely to get just one seat. Blateral talks between the CPM and CPI could not reach a consensus on seat sharing.
The LDF is trying to complete the seat-sharing process without much dispute. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan led the CPM side. The CPM has asked the allies to compromise. “Talks are in the final phase and seats for each party will most probably be announced by this weekend. The LDF is planning to announce candidates by March 10,” said a source.
Vadakara remained the most contentious issue between the JD(S) and LJD. Though the CPM greed to provide four seats — Chittur, Angamaly, Tiruvalla and Kovalam — to the JD(S) while taking away Vadakara, the sitting seat of party leader C K Nanu, the decision hasn’t gone down well with the party. Last time, the JD(S) had contested in five seats.
The new Left ally LJD too will get four seats including Vadakara. As expected, the party will get four seats, including Koothuparambu, sitting seat of Minister K K Shailaja, and Kalpetta. The party has asked for one seat in central Kerala — either Aroor in Alappuzha or Aruvikkara in Thiruvananthapuram. The LJD had staked its claim to seven seats, the same number of seats it contested last time when it was with the UDF.
In the case of NCP, though, the CPM proposed to give the party two seats. But the NCP insisted on getting four. It’s learnt that the CPM has indicated to the NCP that the party will have to exchange either Kuttand or Elathur. However the NCP leadership denied the same. “The CPM has agreed to give three seats to NCP — Elathur, Kottakkal and Kuttanad.
There were no talks on taking away Kuttanad,” said a senior NCP leader. Last time the party had contested in four seats, including Pala, which will now go to the Jose K Mani faction of Kerala Congress. As expected, the Democratic Kerala Congress, which contested in four seats in 2016, might get just one seat this time around. Most probably Antony Raju, who contested here last time, will be the party candidate from the Thiruvananthapuram seat this time too.