KC(M) firm on getting 14 seats

By Our Staff Reporter

KOTTAYAM, MARCH 19. A meeting of Kerala Congress(M) State leaders has decided to stick to their demand for 14 seats in the coming Assembly elections, during their seat-sharing discussions with the UDF partners.

According to KC(M) leaders, they had a share of 11 seats (including the controversial Kaduthuruthy) during the last elections. During the past five years, the party had considerably expanded its base and was on the vanguard in keeping the Opposition flag afloat during this period. As such, the party should have more share this time, they argue.

They point out that originally, the party had wanted to contest 19 seats, but the number had come down to 15, later. They are aware of the predicament of the Congress which has to shell out a few seats to the new entrants into the coalition from their own kitty. That is why they have decided to come down to the `reasonable' number of 14, the leaders said.

The 14 seats include all the 11 they had contested last time, including Kaduthuruthy. In addition, they want one each in Ernakulam and Pathanamthitta districts and a third one in the Malabar area. Last time they had contested Pala, Changanassery, Ettumanur, Thiruvalla, Perambra, Idukki, Vazhoor, Kalluppara and Poonjar. Kaduthuruthy was the seat of Mr. P.M. Mathew, who got elected on a KC(M) ticket, but later switched on to the KC(Jacob) to become its chairman.

Mr. Mathew unsuccessfully contested the last election on KC(Jacob) ticket, but later crossed over to the Mani faction, where he is now one of the general secretaries. It is on the basis of this twisted history that the KC (M) has demanded the seat for itself.

Kaduthuruthy was a bone of contention between the Mani and Jacob factions, but if the KC(M) leaders are to be believed, the Congress leadership has, at least unofficially, decided in favour of conceding the seat to them (Mani faction).

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Section  : Southern States
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