Reiterating that it would not settle for 11 seats offered by the AIADMK, the CPI(M) State unit on Saturday said a final decision would be taken on March 19.
“The State committee discussed the AIADMK's offer of 11 seats. We cannot accept the offer and we need 18 seats,” the party's State secretary G. Ramakrishnan told reporters after a meeting. The State committee, however, had decided to continue talks with the AIADMK besides authorising the State executive committee to enter into an agreement with the AIADMK.
“If the talks fail to progress to our satisfaction the State committee will once again meet on March 19 and take a final decision,” Mr. Ramakrishnan said. He denied that overlapping of seats identified by the CPI(M) and CPI was preventing the Left parties from finalising an agreement with the AIADMK.
CPI(M) MP T.K.Rangarajan dismissed as “rumours” the reports that his party was planning to float a third front in the event of seat-sharing talks with the AIADMK failing.
Asked why the AIADMK leadership was delaying seat-sharing with the CPI(M), which was a long time ally, but had quickly sealed the pact with the DMDK, a late entrant to the alliance, Mr. Rangarajan said the comparison was odious.
Party sources said the unanimous opinion among the State committee members was that the party should not accept the offer of 11 seats offered by the AIADMK.
The AIADMK has offered nine seats to the CPI. Even on Saturday the AIADMK wanted a discussion on seat-sharing, but the CPI leaders wanted to wait till the CPI(M) worked out its plan.
