The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPIM)] is unlikely to stake claim for the Rajya Sabha seat that has fallen vacant following the death of Socialist veteran M.P. Veerendrakumar.
Left Democratic Front (LDF) sources told The Hindu that the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) would decide its nominee and will formally be cleared and announced at the front’s State committee meeting, that is scheduled to meet within a fortnight. The election would be held on August 24.
Rumours were rife that the CPI(M) would stake claim for the seat, but the sources sought to brush it aside as unfounded and conscious attempt to create chinks in the front. Front partners do not have convention of appropriating a seat allocated to an ally through consensus, the sources said.
Earlier instances
When the Pala and Kuttanad Assembly seats fell vacant following the death of Kerala Congress(M) leader K.M. Mani and Nationalist Congress Party leader Thomas Chandy, there were reports that the CPI(M) would wrest the seats. But all such rumours were proved to be baseless. NCP candidates contested from both segments.
The front would not deviate from the convention and an LJD candidate would contest the Rajya Sabha seat too. The LJD leadership is expected to have discussions on its candidate with the CPI(M) leadership soon, they said.
Neither the CPI(M) nor the LDF would resort to any step that would rock the boat offering an undue advantage to the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the local body and Assembly elections that are to be held in succession.
Oppn. ploy
The UDF and the BJP are trying to make maximum mileage of a row over the smuggling of gold in a consignment addressed to the United Arab Emirates consulate here and sustain it till the two elections.
This was despite a firm stance Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPI(M) had taken on the gold smuggling case. Both Mr. Vijayan and the CPI(M) had welcomed the inquiry into the case and exuded confidence about its outcome too. The Rajya Sabha election would not offer any space for the Opposition to gain an advantage over the government and the LDF, the sources said.
