CPI seeks to play hardball with Cong on seat-sharing in T’gana

HYDERABAD: The Communist Party of India virtually set October 21 as the deadline to the Congress to finalise the seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Assembly elections in Telangana, and indicated it is also mulling the option of contesting independently.

The Congress, the TDP, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) announced a few weeks ago an electoral alliance in principle for the December seven election to the 119-member Assembly. Seat-sharing talks among the four constituents have been on. Sources in the Congress have said distribution of seats is driven by “winnability” factor in constituencies.

Leaders of CPI and TJS, in particular, have made no secret of their displeasure over what they say delay in clinching the issue. Sources in the Congress say the TDP, CPI and TJS are demanding more seats than their “fair share”.

Speaking to PTI Wednesday, CPI National General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy said: “We can’t wait for them (the Congress) eternally (to finalise seat-sharing).

“On October 21st, our state party executive is meeting. We will decide whether we should go with the alliance or we should decide our own of way of contesting independently”, Reddy said. “We will discuss what is to be done,” he added.

CPI has already given to the Congress a list 12 seats from where it would like to contest; of that, the Left party is keen on nine constituencies.