In some segments, the CPI(M) will support the party that can defeat the 'communal BJP'. It will not contest where the CPI is in the fray.
Published Nov 05, 2023 | 12:11 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 05, 2023 | 12:25 PM
A communist rally in Chandur during the Munugode byelection in November 2022. (Sumit Jha/South First)
The CPI(M) — left “red-faced” with the Congress, too, not playing along, after its bitter experience with the BRS — is now charting its own course in the Telangana Assembly elections slated for 30 November.
After a nerve-wracking wait for finalisation of the seat-sharing exercise with the Congress, the party has decided to go it alone and released its first list of candidates for 14 seats on Sunday, 5 November.
CPI(M) state secretary Thammineni Veerabhadram, who released the list, will be contesting from Palair, the most sought-after segment in the Khammam district in Telangana for all parties.
Another important party leader, Julakanti Rangareddy, will be in the fray from Miryalaguda constituency.
The names of the remaining candidates are: Bhukya Veerabhadram (Wyra), Bharthi (Sattupalli), Erra Srikanth (Khammam), Paladugu Bhaskar (Madhira), Karam Pullaiah (Badrachalam), Pittal Arjun (Ashwaraopet), China Venkulu (Nakrekal), Narasimha (Bhongir), Moku Kanaka Reddy (Janagoan), Pagadala Yadaiah (Ibrahimpatnam), Mallikarjun (Patancheru), and Dasaratha (Mushirabad).
After releasing the list, Veerbhadram said: “We are making an appeal to the people to send the CPI(M) to the Assembly. We will support the CPI wherever it is in contest. The CPI leaders have told me that they would have a seat-sharing agreement with the Congress.”
According to sources South First reached out to, though the Congress had advised the CPI(M) to defer its decision of going it alone, the party leaders did not agree.
Ever since the talks between the Congress and the Left parties began some time ago, seat-sharing became a knotty problem. The communists and the Congress were not ready to let go off the seats they were interested in contesting.
After the “great betrayal” by BRS president K Chandrashekar Rao — who released the list of his candidates for 115 of the 119 seats in the Assembly without consulting the Left parties — the CPI and CPI(M) began looking to the Congress for an alliance.
The Left parties had expected a generous allotment of seats to them by the BRS for helping it win the Munugode byelection a year ago in the face an aggressive BJP onslaught. KCR, too, had hinted that the journey with the Left parties has only commenced.
But when it came to the crunch, he jettisoned them by the wayside.
As the Left parties are part of the larger national Opposition INDIA bloc, the natural alternative for them was to turn to the grand old party which was looking for support to give its best shot for power in Telangana in the elections.
But the talks did not go on expected lines. The Left parties, who initially sought five seats each, came off the high horse and settled for two each — but when it came to which two seats, the deliberations became problematic.
The CPI(M) wanted Miryalaguda and Wyra — with an assurance that the Congress would not encourage a rebel in these constituencies. Though the Congress was ready to cede Miryalaguda, it was not ready to let Wyra go. As the Gordian knot became more complicated, the CPI(M) called off the negotiations.
With nominations opening on 3 November, the CPI(M), which thought enough was enough, had warned the Congress that it would go it alone, and has now followed up on the threat by announcing candidates for 14 seats.
Veerabhadram said: “The CPI had decided to fight the elections in alliance with the Congress, but we are going it alone as the talks with the grand old party failed on seat-sharing.
“In some segments, we will support the party that can defeat the BJP. We will not contest where the CPI is in the fray. Our main objective is to defeat the communal BJP,” he said.
