GRAND DIVIDE OVER SEATS?

VV Balakrishna
First Published : 23 Feb 2009 05:06:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 23 Feb 2009 03:01:56 PM IST

HYDERABAD: An agreement on seat-sharing among Grand Alliance partners is fast becoming a herculean task with each unwilling to concede ground to the others. Though leaders of the four parties, TDP, TRS, CPI and CPM, assert that there will no problem in hammering out a win-win deal, the question that is haunting everyone is how is it possible if they are in no mood to accommodate each other? And, if the deadlock continues, how can the Grand Alliance remain united? Asked if he is ready to sacrifice his seat in case someone from among the allies stakes a claim for it, TDP general secretary K Srihari’s evasive reply was: “I will ponder over it when such a situation arises.” He, however, hastened to add that seat-sharing would be a smooth affair among the allies.

TRS leader N Narasimha Reddy, on the other hand, claimed there were no differences among the parties over seatsharing.

The interesting part is, though talks among the partners have not yet started officially, the TRS announced unilaterally that it would field its candidates in Kukatpally and Makthal Assembly segments.

Reacting to this, Srihari indicated that the partners would have a series of meetings starting next week. “If any party announced the name of a candidate for any Assembly segment, it would be subject to review by the Grand Alliance leadership,” he clarified.

As per the broad agreement reached, the TDP and TRS will share seats equally in the Telangana region, after giving around 20 Assembly seats to both the Left parties.

The TDP had already started an exercise on Saturday on aspirants in several segments. However, it is cautious enough to skip non-controversial seats.

The situation is likely to become complex in the Telangana region. For example, CPM, CPI and TRS are seeking the newly-created Bhuvanagiri Lok Sabha constituency.

CPI leader S Sudhakar Reddy and CPM leader N Narasimhaiah are vying for it. The TRS wants to field Vijayasanti from the same seat. Sudhakar Reddy said although it was natural for him to demand the seat, ‘‘we will sort out such issues amicably.” In the same manner, the TDP and TRS are pitching for the newly-created Quthbullapur Assembly seat.

According to sources, first, the two Left parties would decide on the seats they want to contest. After the Left parties reach an understanding, the Grand Alliance will start the big exercise which means more headaches and ‘pacification talks.’ If it falls apart, there may be rebels in the fray with active support from the partners of the alliance. A nightmare that all of them would like to avoid.