The DMK’s hope of roping in the CPI into its alliance for the Lok Sabha polls was dashed late on Monday with the CPI’s executive committee backing the CPI(M)’s decision to go it alone in the State.
Spurned by the ruling AIADMK after there were disagreements over seat-sharing, the two Left parties decided to work in tandem, before the CPI explored the possibilities of joining the DMK alliance.
Even DMK leader M. Karunanidhi, while releasing the list of candidates, did not rule out the possibility of an alliance with the Left.
“A democratic organisation like the DMK cannot set a deadline for anyone,” he said when asked whether he had set any deadline for the Left parties.
However, CPI general secretary P. Sudhakar Reddy and CPI State secretary D. Pandian, told reporters that they would face the polls jointly with the CPI(M) as their objective was to defeat the BJP and its allies.
He said the Left parties would support other parties in constituencies where they would not contest, to keep the BJP and its allies at bay.
Asked whether the Left would support the DMK in constituencies where it would not nominate candidates, he said that he could not respond to hypothetical questions.
Mr Sudhakar Reddy further added that the ruling AIADMK was responsible for the present state of affairs since the party was also among the group of 11 parties, that met in Parliament House, on February 5, to form a bloc for a joint floor strategy in Parliament.
Later the CPI leaders visited the CPI(M) office and conveyed the decision of the executive council.
