THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Bilateral talks between Congress and Muslim League on sharing of seats remained inconclusive on Thursday. KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran informed the League leadership that they would not part with Karunagapally or Ambalapuzha in exchange of Eravipuram.
Minister V. K. Ebrahimkunju, who represented his party, said then they too would be forced to take hard decisions. Next round of talks is on Saturday. Also on Saturday, KPCC leaders will sit together and shortlist Congress candidates in the morning ahead of the election committee meet in the evening.
During the 2011 Assembly elections, League had contested from Eravipuram, which is now being given to RSP. Koduvally, which is now with Congress, is also likely to be swapped with Kunnamangalam where a decision is still pending.
Mr Sudheeran also talked with other League leaders on the telephone. “Decision seat sharing would be completed on Saturday. We are planning to leave for New Delhi with the Congress list on Sunday afternoon,” he said.
He will also be huddled with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and home minister Ramesh Chennithala Saturday morning to shortlist Congress candidates. Currently, there are more than three aspirants in some constituencies.
The screening panel, chaired by Mallikarjun Kharge, will meet on March 28 and 29 in Delhi. The central election committee headed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi will meet on March 30 and 31.
Meanwhile, all is not well between Mr Chandy and Mr Sudheeran. Of late, Mr Sudheeran has been coming down heavily on the revenue department giving the nod to reclaim several paddy fields just before the Assembly elections were announced.
However, a senior Congress leader told DC that discussions would take place as expected without fail and the ‘grudge’ towards Sudheeran would be taken care of after the elections.
