CPM discusses seat sharing

BY J.R.PRASAD
Hyderabad, Dec. 13: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary, Mr B.V. Raghavulu, said the Marxist Party would decide on its own the number of seats it will contest in the ensuing elections, even though it was a member in the TD- led alliance.The CPI(M) state committee which met here for the second day on Saturday in Hyderabad discussed the seat-sharing formula with the TD at length for the ensuing elections. According to sources, the Marxist party leaders are contemplating to ask the TD for at least 30 to 35 Assembly seats. However, this number may vary depending on the Telangana Rastra Samiti's participation in the alliance.
Mr Raghavulu spoke to mediapersons on the sidelines of the meeting. Though he agreed that the CPI(M) state committee was discussing the seat-sharing issue, he refused to divulge details. "We are identifying the potential Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies which the party can contest. As soon as we come up with a list, we will put the proposal before our alliance partners," he said.
When asked about the possible number of seats the Marxist party may demand from the TD, Mr Raghavulu replied: "It is too early to say. We contested in 80 seats earlier. Later, we fielded our candidates in 23 seats. Now-a-days we are contesting in around 20 seats." He was confident that the TRS would sail with the TD-Left alliance in the coming elections.