THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When CPM is moving forward with seat-sharing talks, CPI is moving away from the exercise as it is concerned over the swapping of seats with other parties and giving up certain seats for others. Now, LDF leadership has decided to give CPI’s sitting seat of Changanassery to Kerala Congress(M). The decision has been taken without considering CPI’s dissent. With this, the party has also decided not to give up its Malappuram seat. In Kottayam, CPI has only received the Vaikom constituency. The communist party is facing stiff opposition not only from leaders but also from party workers when the seat-sharing talks have entered into the last phase.

Over the last few days, dissent has been brewing up in CPI over the Changanassery seat. CPI was strongly batting for the Changanasssey, the party also said if Changanassery is not given to them, then they will not give up the Kanjirapally seat. In the first phase, the party has agreed to give up five of its seats, which includes Changanassery, Kanjirapally, Irikoor and two seats from Malappuram. Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that the Kerala Congress will contest from Changanassery. As Kerala Congress is not willing to give the Changanassery seat to CPI, the right-wing communist party has also decided not to give up the seats in the Malappuram district.

Sources say that CPI is gearing up for an open protest over the issue of the Changanassery seat. The party is also gearing up to declare candidates on its 25 seats including Thirurangadi and Eranadu, which has been previously decided to hand over to CPM.

When high-level meets are to be convened today to decide the candidates, CPI has never thought that the deadlock over seat-sharing would hamper candidates’ selection. The party leadership is also disappointed by the approach taken by CPM leaders over the issue. This might lead to heated discussions in CPI’s meeting to be held today.