The CPI is threatening to field candidates in all constituencies of the CPI(M)if it is not allowed to contest the Ponanni seat.
Seat-sharing talks in the ruling LDF appeared to be tottering on Friday with the CPI threatening to field candidates in all constituencies of the CPI(M) in the Lok Sabha polls if it was not allowed to contest the Ponanni seat.
"There is no going back on our demand for four seats including Ponnani. We will not surrender to the CPI(M)'s strategy of containing the partners. We are ready to face any consequences arising from our decision," CPI state secretary Veliyam Bhargavan said here.
In Delhi, some members of the CPI(M) Politburo, including general secretary Prakash Karat, discussed the issue with senior leader MK 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 said.
The CPI(M) 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-CPI(M) 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 AB 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 CPI(M) 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 CPI(M) 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 CPI(M)'s attitude towards seat sharing, Bharghavan said it has become a practice for CPI(M) 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.
Asked whether the development means breaking up of the Front, he shot back, "what else could this mean." It was CPI(M)'s responsibility to see that the coalition is not broken, he said. "In case it breaks, CPI(M) will be responsible," he added.
"The CPI(M) has crossed all limits of coalition principles and do you think we should suffer the humiliation," the Kerala CPI leader said.
Bharghavan also said CPI(M) has not learnt lessons from the experience of 1965 and 1970, when CPI was out of LDF in the state.
He said "CPI-M candidates would not win from any of the seats in Kerala without the support of CPI. The CPI would lose three of its seats, but it is sure that CPI(M) will lose all its seats".
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