Telangana Polls: CPI Unhappy with 3 Seats Given by Congress, to Contest 5

Hyderabad: Expressing dissatisfaction over the Congress "unilaterally" announcing that it will give three seats to CPI in the coming Assembly polls in Telangana, the left party Friday said it has decided to contest five seats.

A meeting of the CPI state executive here expressed disappointment over the "unilateral" announcement made by Congress Thursday, a party release said.

The CPI, a partner in the grand alliance" of opposition parties for the assembly election, expressed unhappiness on being given three seats, describing it as an "injustice" towards the party.

The alliance comprises the Congress, Telugu Desam Party, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS). Congress Thursday said the party has decided to leave 25 seats -- 14 to Telugu Desam Party, eight to Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) and three to CPI.

"We (alliance partners) had discussed that an approach of give and take should be there (in the alliance). There should be respectable arrangements. What happened now is against that.

But, our political motive is to dislodge the KCR government in Telangana," CPI state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy told reporters.

Noting that his party had asked for at least five seats, he said it is "injustice" (towards his party) to give only three seats.

Venkat Reddy said his party has informed senior Congress leader K Jana Reddy about its complaint who promised to take it up with party high command.

TJS president M Kodandaram has expressed solidarity with the CPI.

TDP's Telangana unit president L Ramana said the alliance partners would soon sit and review the developments since the last two months and try to strengthen the coalition.

The meeting would take place after Congress leaders return to Hyderabad from gulf countries. Congress leaders have gone to Gulf countries to enquire about migrant workers' problems, he said.

The first list of Congress candidates for the Assembly polls would be released on November 10, RC Khuntia, AICC incharge of party affairs in Telangana said Thursday.

He had said the party has cleared 74 names. There are 119 Assembly segments.

The Gazette notification for the polls would be issued on November 12 and the last date of nominations is November 19, according to the schedule released by the Election Commission.