LDF hit by seat-sharing squabbles

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is unable to come up with a seat-sharing formula for the upcoming general elections due to squabbles among the allies.

A meeting of the LDF on Saturday failed to come up to an agreement and another round is slated for today.

In the 2004 elections, LDF constituents Communist Party of India-Marxists (CPI-M) contested 14 seats, the Communist Party of India (CPI) four, the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) and Kerala Congress (Joseph) one seat each.

The Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), the Congress-S and the Nationalist Congress Party are also part of the ruling front.

The CPI state secretary, Veliyam Bharghavan, said yesterday: "At no cost will we part with Ponanni seat and so is the case with Mavelikkara seat."

According to party insiders, the CPI-M is keen on re-allocation of seats on the basis of a formula. It is reportedly also interested in Kozhikode Lok Sabha seat which has been with the JD-S since 1980.

The talks with the RSP also ended on the same note, with the party adamant on its claim for Kollam seat which was taken from it by the CPI-M in 1999.

"We have made our stand clear and the talks will be held again tomorrow [today]," state general secretary V.P. Ramakrishna Pillai said.