Congress to give partners 3 seats

Thiruvananthapuram: In a move to stonewall the demands for more seats from the allies in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls in 2014, the Congress high command has asked the state leadership to finalise the list of party probables for 17 seats.

The  directive comes in the wake of the allies, including Socialist Janata (Democratic), staking their claims for seats. SJD is eying Vadakara which is currently held by Union minister  Mullapally Ramachandran, and the Muslim League wants Wayanad.

According to sources, the committee headed Madhusudan Mistry and C.P. Joshi, which is entrusted with the task of finalising the list of candidates in consultation with the KPCC, has asked the state leadership to pick the best.

While the Congress central leadership is open to discussing the seat issue with allies,  it is not ready to disturb the existing seat-sharing formula of Congress (17), Muslim League  (2) and Kerala Congress  (1).

It may be recalled that leaders of the alliance partners had met Sonia Gandhi during her recent visit to the state and conveyed their displeasure over the functioning of the UDF, particularly the Congress.

With the Congress facing a shocking defeat in the recent Assembly elections and  pitted against the formidable Modi-led BJP in 2014, it does not want to take any chances. Central leaders say every single seat would count in the mother of all battles.