Kolkata: With dates for Lok Sabha elections announced, the seat-sharing arrangement between CPI(M) and the Congress is yet to be finalised amidst disagreements with other Left parties over certain seats, especially Purulia.
Following a virtual meeting on Saturday night the CPI(M) on Sunday had scheduled meetings with three of its Left Front parties to reach an understanding concerning seat-sharing talks with the Congress. The Left Front led by the CPI(M) has already announced candidates for 16 seats in the state. Asked when it is expected to release the name of candidates for the rest of some 26 seats, and if it will include seat sharing with Congress, the CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim told the media on Sunday that meetings are ongoing. “We are always positive. Politics is an art of possibilities. We are with political forces opposed to BJP and TMC. There are positive signs. Work in progress,” he said.
However, as learnt, the existing complications involve seats such as Purulia where the Left party Forward Block intends to field its party candidate but Congress is also aiming for the seat since it considers it as a stronghold. The Forward Block is reluctant to spare the seat to Congress.
Sources said that the Left leadership also wants to spare Purulia to Congress which in comparison to Forward Block has better organisational structure there. Further, Congress may field Nepal Mahato from Purulia who has great acceptance among the Kurmi community there.
It was also learnt that the Congress is likely to reveal its candidate list on Monday. With such a short time in hand, the seat-sharing talks between the Congress and the Left Front may be finalized this week by Tuesday, sources said.