Lok Sabha seat sharing puts Kerala govt under pressure

The Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) started courting the faction headed by Water Works Minister P J Joseph in the Kerala Congress (M), the third largest constituent of the UDF, after the Congress conveyed its difficulty in conceding its sitting Idukki seat to the party.

The KC (M), which was given only the Kottayam seat in the 2009 elections, staked the claim for the additional as it was held by the Joseph faction when they were in the LDF. The Joseph faction had merged with the KC (M) before the Assembly elections in 2011.

The LDF has been wooing both the Joseph faction as well as Janata Dal (S), which had quit the opposition front and joined the UDF after the former denied the Calicut seat in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls ever since they lost the power in the state by just two seats.

LDF convenor Vaikom Viswan extended a warm welcome to the Joseph faction after a section of them hinted at the possibility of attempting even a friendly contest in the Idukki constituency if they were denied the seat.

Though KC (M) leader K M Mani and Joseph have ruled out any extreme option, they asserted that they will continue their efforts within the UDF for getting the seat. Mani said that he was hopeful that the party will be given the seat.

The Congress has been resisting the KC (M) demand saying that the coming election was crucial for the party facing a huge challenge from the Bharatiya Janata Party. The party is hoping to net maximum seats from south, where the BJP is not strong.

LDF is trying hard to split the KC (M) as it will help not only in strengthening its contest in the Lok Sabha elections but also destabilising the UDF government. CPM state committee member Thomas Isaac, who met Joseph on Monday, said that the party will do everything possible to fuel the trouble in the UDF.

However, Joseph termed the meeting accidental and added that he had not discussed any politics with the CPM leader. He said that the current political situation did not warrant any rethinking on his decision to leave the LDF.

Former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the LDF will not succeed in destabilising the government. The UDF is united and will remain so.

Newly appointed KPCC president V M Sudheeran has expressed the hope that the differences in the coalition over the seat sharing would be resolved amicably. He said that the talks in this regard were going and a solution acceptable to all will be found. — news@khalejtimes.com