"There is no going back on our demand for four seats including Ponnani. We will not surrender to the CPM's strategy of containing the partners. We are ready to face any consequences arising from our decision," CPI state Secretary Veliyam Bhargavan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.
In Delhi, some members of the CPM Politburo, including General Secretary Prakash Karat, discussed the issue with senior leader M K Pandhe saying the party was hopeful that the issue would be "resolved at the state level".
"We are still hopeful that the issue will be resolved locally. We should try to maintain our unity till the end. I hope common sense will prevail," he told reporters. The CPM has decided to field a "common LDF independent" in Ponnani, represented by CPI in the 14th Lok Sabha, as a tactical move to muster Muslim support from parties like the PDP of Abdul Nasser Madani.
Bhargavan said the CPI would field its nominees in all the seats except those allotted to the non-CPM LDF allies JD(S) and Kerala Congress (Joseph) faction. The party executive would meet on March 16 to select candidates, he said.
After the politburo meeting, Karat is understood to have had a telephonic conversation with CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan to resolve the crisis.
CPI leader D Raja said "we are asking for four seats like last time. These include Ponnani. We should have a say in deciding as to who we should put up as a candidate there."
"The CPM should agree to this or take the responsibility for the consequences," the CPI leader said in New Delhi. Besides Ponnani, the CPI fought 2004 polls from Thrissur, Thiruvananthapuram and Mavalikkara constituencies.
In Kozhikode, the CPM wants to field its nominee but JD(S), which won the seat last time, persisted with its demand to contest from the constituency.
Asked if the CPI central leadership would agree to parting of ways by the two main Communist parties, Bhargavan shot back saying "I am part of the Central leadership".
Coming out strongly against CPM's attitude towards seat sharing, Bharghavan said it has become a practice for CPM to take away the seats of its allies. "They took the seats of RSP, Kerala Congress (S) and also that of JD(S). Now they are trying to snatch the seats of CPI," he said, adding "our party will not allow this to happen.”
