Thiruvananthapuram: The Janata Dal (Secular) top brass has met the CPI leadership and staked claim for the prestigious Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat.
JD (S) leaders K Krishnankutty, who is also the Water Resources Minister in the Pinarayi Vijayan-led cabinet, and C K Nanu, who represents Vadakara constituency, held talks with CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran after consultations with the leadership of the CPI(M), the largest LDF constituent, it was learnt.
The leaders are optimistic about the party’s chances in Thiruvananthapuram where the CPI lost two consecutive elections. By fielding a strong candidate like A Neelalohithadasan Nadar, the JD(S) can not only put up a strong fight but also wrest the seat from the Congress, they feel.
Although the CPI(M), as an intermediary, had attempted to convince the CPI, the latter did not agree to give up the seat. It is then the CPI(M) leaders instructed the JD(S) to discuss the matter directly with the CPI.
Both Krishnankutty and Nanu pointed up the ‘winnability’ of Neelalohithadasan Nadar during the meeting, but there were no positive indications from Kanam, sources said.
The CPI state executive committee asked the district leaderships to finalise candidates for the four constituencies allotted to them, including Thiruvananthapuram, after Kanam informed the JD(S) leaders that the party would take a final call on the matter after due deliberation.
Notably, the JD(S), which suffered a massive defeat in the Kottayam Parliament seat in 2014, had expressed disinterest in contesting from there once again.
Normally, formal talks on sharing of seats are held between the CPI(M) and LDF constituents. By discussing the matter directly with the party which is holding the seat, the JD(S) has sent out a clear message that it is in no mood to relent on the demand. The leaders are also understood to have discussed the scope for swapping the Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram seats between them.
Rumours have been rife that Kanam himself would contest from the Thiruvananthapuram seat as the CPI is handicapped with the shortage of leaders who have a strong support base in Thiruvananthapuram. However, Kanam had made it clear that he would not return to electoral politics when the party was offered a seat in the Upper House last year.
CPI state secretary Pannian Raveendran, who represented Thiruvananthapuram in the 14th Lok Sabha, has also informed the leadership that he would not contest the upcoming elections.
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