THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM will contest 92 seats and CPI 27 in the forthcoming Assembly elections. The decision was taken at the LDF state committee meeting held at the AKG Center. While most allies and supporting parties have been allotted seats, K R Gowri Amma’s JSS and P C George have been left out of the LDF list.
Apart from CPM and CPI, the other parties which have been allotted seats are JDS -5, NCP -4, CMP -1, Kerala Congress (B) 1, RSP (L) - 1, Kerala Congress (Scaria Thomas) - 1, Congress S - 1, Janathipathya Kerala Congress (Francis George ) - 4 and INL 3.
While CPI had demanded 29 seats, it had to finally agree to all the 27 seats contested in 2011 Assembly polls. Gowri Amma’s JSS had demanded seven seats but was given none. Though the veteran communist leader had personally visited the AKG Centre after three decades to request CPM leadership for seats, the LDF declined to offer even a single seat perhaps because of the poor strength of the party at the moment.
When asked why the LDF refused to give seat to JSS and P C George, and just one seat to Scaria Thomas who has been cooperating with the opposition and granted four seats to Francis George’s party which came in just yesterday, LDF Convenor Vaikom Viswan said: “We have not considered who came yesterday or today. Factors like peoples support in the constituency, organisational machinery and volunteer strength were taken into consideration while deciding the seats.”
The LDF convenor hoped that the parties which could not be allotted would cooperate with the front. “I don't think allocation of seat is only criteria for support. You can support without seats also. While deciding on seats we have discussed in detail the peculiarity of each constituency and also taken feed back from the stake holders,” he said.
On whether George will rock LDF boat ? “I dont think so. He can also cooperate with the LDF.” He said the CPM had given away three of its seats Changanassery, Poonjar and Idukki while Scaria Thomas gave up two Thiruvananthapuram and Kothamangalam.
