As the Assembly elections inch closer in Kerala, the LDF is facing a political disturbance in their midst with the Nationalist Congress Party and the Pala Assembly seat. Following their meet with the LDF leadership, NCP state president T P Peethambaran told media that the party is united concerning Pala and the alliance has not asked them to surrender the seat.
However, the latest meet with the leadership did not yield any results even though Peethambaran master has asked to discuss the seat-sharing strategy. Reportedly, LDF leader and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had moved the discussion on seat-sharing for another date, and so the LDF meet scratched it off from their agenda.
The state leadership has left the decision on staying in the alliance to their national leader Sharad Pawar, who will be holding talks with CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI general secretary D Raja. In his meeting with the communist leaders, Pawar will emphasise the need for his party to retain the four seats that they contested in 2016.
Moreover, the Peethambaran master told media that the LDF has not yet asked for the seats. “Neither the CPM nor the LDF has asked us to give up the Pala seat for the upcoming elections. Moreover, the alliance has always followed a routine of allowing sitting members to continue. No decision on the matter can be reached without a proper discussion,” he said. Pawar had told state leadership that no form of sacrifice or compromise was required from the party, and the NCP leadership informed that the final decision would be taken in Mumbai following their meeting on February 1.
Following the meeting, LDF convenor and CPM acting state secretary A Vijayaraghavan had addressed media and told them that there are no issues within the NCP. The LDF rallies will begin from February 13 in Kasargod, from Ernakulam on February 14 and end on February 26 at Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram. Vijayaraghavan and CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran will captain the event, and the alliance will try to finish house calls in three days. Moreover, Vijayaraghavan added that the alliance would also organise protests against the rising fuel prices, which “could hit Rs 100, in a few days”.
