Left parties likely to join hands with Congress for Telangana polls, to go solo in Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh

New Delhi: CPI(M) and CPI have fielded candidates against Congress in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh after electoral adjustment negotiations fell through, while the parties are in a last ditch attempt to draw a peace formula for a joint fight in Telangana.

While it is contesting a lesser number of seats compared to 2018, CPI(M) will fight in 17 seats, including in two sitting seats, in Rajasthan while it is fielding four in MP and three in Chhattisgarh. CPI will fight 16 seats in Chhattisgarh, 12 in Rajasthan, and nine in MP.

The Left parties have now joined other I.N.D.I.A parties JD(U), SP, and AAP in fighting against Congress in state elections though parties had joined hands against BJP at the national level for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

However, both the CPI(M) and CPI express hope that they could extract a compromise in Telangana where its wishes are honoured by the Congress.

Sources said, CPI(M) has made it clear that they are willing to restrict their demands to just two seats if they are allotted Miryalaguda and Palair though it had initially demanded around five seats, including Congress sitting seats Madhira and Bhadrachalam.

Interestingly, Congress has announced Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy for the seat with the party managers saying that it will try to convince CPI(M) to accept another seat. The CPI(M) had contested 26 seats last time and lost deposit in all seats while garnering 2.05 per cent votes in these seats.

CPI, which unsuccessfully contested three seats but garnered 17.7 per cent votes there, appears to be in a better wicket in Telangana as Congress is said to be willing to concede to its demand. However, the CPI’s insistence for Kothagudem, where the latter’s sitting MLA defected to BRS, may turn out as a deal breaker.

CPI sources indicated that they have an assurance from the Congress on Kothagudem and Chennur seats. Senior CPI leaders will sit with Congress leaders to iron out the details in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Asked about his party fighting against Congress and whether it would weaken the I.N.D.I.A bloc, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury admitted that it would have been better if they all fought together at the state level too like they have agreed to do at the national level in 2024.

He referred to the I.N.D.I.A bloc’s Patna meeting in May this year and said the declared objective of the group was to defeat the BJP unitedly.

“We wish the cooperation was extended to the state polls also. That could have been helpful. Let us see. The last date of nomination is not over. Let us see…If there was a compromise, it would have been good,” he told a press conference.