RS seats: LDF partners on collision course

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JUNE 6. A major crisis is brewing in the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) with the CPI(M), CPI and RSP deciding to field candidates for the June 23 Rajya Sabha election.

The CPI(M) has decided to field Mr. K. Chandran Pillai, Ernakulam district secretary, in the election. The RSP has tentatively decided on fielding the former Kollam MP, Mr. N.K. Premachandran. The CPI has not taken a formal decision, but senior party leaders made it clear shortly after the CPI(M) decision became known that the party would contest the Rajya Sabha poll regardless of the consequence.

The CPI(M) State committee took the decision to field Mr. Chandran Pillai, who is also a State committee member, on the opening day of its two-day meeting here today. He has been nominated to replace the CITU national president, Mr. E. Balanandan, who had expressed his wish to be left alone.

The decision to field Mr. Chandran Pillai could be due to the need to give representation to the CITU and to Ernakulam district. It could also be the result of a sudden switch in loyalties. He had been a strong lieutenant of the CPI(M) politburo member, Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan, and was being groomed to take over the CITU State leadership.

The CPI(M) decision has plunged the LDF into a crisis. Reacting sharply to the CPI(M) decision, the CPI State secretary, Mr. Veliyam Bhargavan, said his party would certainly field its nominee in the Rajya Sabha election. Asked whether this could mean anything but his party's exit from the ruling coalition, he replied, "Why should we insist on a front which they do not want?"

The CPI leader said he had made the party's stand clear at the last LDF State committee meeting and told the CPI(M) leaders that they could keep their word by giving RSP the seat being vacated by Mr. Balanandan and leave the other to the CPI. His argument essentially was that the CPI(M) should not try to dispense seats which rightfully belonged to the front as a whole and which should be allotted on the basis of the relative strength in the Assembly. The CPI has one Rajya Sabha member against 18 members in the Assembly. The CPI(M) has four Rajya Sabha members against its 45 MLAs, Mr. Bhargavan said and added that the CPI State executive, meeting here on Wednesday, would discuss the issue and take a decision.

The RSP State secretariat reached the tentative decision to field Mr. Premachandran at its meeting here on Monday. However, the party is keeping its cards close to its chest on account of the CPI threat that its nominee would be in the fray if the CPI(M) refuses to allot to it one of the two seats that the LDF is certain to win. The RSP State committee is meeting here tomorrow to take a final view in the matter.

No discussion has taken place between the various LDF constituents after the first round to bilateral discussions on Saturday. The CPI(M) communicated its readiness to back an RSP nominee subsequently. The CPI can theoretically hope to win the poll with the help of excess votes from the ruling front. The UDF has 60 members in the House and its nominee would need only 36 votes to secure a win.

If the remaining 24 votes could be secured, that would mean an upset win for the CPI. Whether the CPI would go to such lengths and cause a virtual overhaul of the present coalition arrangement is in the realm of speculation at this point of time. But the CPI stand is certainly going to cause some difficulties for the ruling coalition in the coming days.

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Section  : Southern States
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