Kerala Congress(M), a constituent of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) on Monday staked claim for 22 seats, including Thodupuzha, in the April 13 State Assembly elections.
The Congress today began talks with four of its front partners- Kerala Congress(Mani), Kerala Congress(Jacob), Socialist Janata(Democratic) of M.P. Veerandra Kumar and Communist Marxist Party (CMP) led by M.V. Raghavan.
After holding talks with Opposition leader Oommen Chandy, Kerala PCC president Ramesh Chennithala and UDF convenor P.P. Thankachan, the Kerala Congress(M) leader, K.M. Mani, told reporters that his party had demanded 22 seats, including the Thodupuzha seat. This was not an ‘unjust’ demand and this was what the party deserves, he said adding besides the 18 sitting seats, the party has demanded only four more additional seats.
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The KC(M) had contested 11 seats in the 2006 polls.
Following its merger with factions led by P.J. Joseph and and P.C. George, which together had contested 7 seats, the KC(M) is now demanding 22 seats, double the seat allocated to it in the previous election.
Mr. Thankachan told reporters after the first round of discussions with the KC(M), ‘We have heard them.’ Further talks would be held at Thiruvananthapuram on April 9, he said.
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Discussions are also being held with Kerala Congress(Jacob), CMP and SJD today.