CHENNAI: Pointing out the alliance leader DMK's decision to allot extra seats to Congress, CPM state secretary P Shanmugam said on Saturday that there is no justification for denying additional seats to the Left parties.
Adding that seat-sharing negotiations in the DMK-led alliance are continuing, the Left leader cited the Dravidian major reportedly promising additional seats to DMDK as a rationale behind their assertion.
Talks between the DMK and the Left parties have been deferred for a few days, with leaders of the CPM and the CPI reiterating their demand for more constituencies.
After offering floral tributes to Karl Marx on his 143rd death anniversary at his statue at Egmore Museum, Shanmugam said the talks scheduled for Saturday have been postponed and would resume in the coming days, as the alliance has planned a protest on Sunday.
He said the DMK had difficulty allotting more constituencies because several new parties had joined the alliance. However, the CPM had already conveyed its intention to contest in double-digit constituencies.
“If there is scope to allot additional seats to them (Congress and possibly DMDK), there is no justification for denying the same to the Left parties,” he said.
Meanwhile, CPI state secretary M Veerapandian said discussions with the DMK were continuing and no final decision has been taken yet. The party’s State Executive Committee would meet on Sunday to deliberate on the issue.
Veerapandian said the CPI too sought more seats than it contested in the previous election, when it was allotted six constituencies. According to him, the DMK had suggested reducing the number by one as several new parties have joined the alliance.
“We have repeatedly insisted that we should be given more seats than last time,” he said, adding that there was democratic space within the alliance for dialogue and that discussions would continue until a decision was reached.
He emphasised that defeating the BJP remained the alliance's primary objective. “By defeating the BJP in Tamil Nadu, we must show a direction to the entire country,” he said.
On whether the reduction in seats allotted to other parties, including the MDMK, could create pressure on the Left parties or the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Veerapandian said the Communists sought only the seats due to them and should not be judged solely by their legislative strength.
He also clarified that specific constituencies have not yet been discussed. “Once the number of seats is finalised, discussions on constituencies will begin. Those decisions will also be taken democratically within the party,” he said.