Is the Third Front honeymoon over in Tamil Nadu?

Chennai: Is the Third Front honeymoon over in Tamil Nadu? If reports are to be believed, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is refusing to yield to the Left Front’s demand of six seats in the state for the coming general elections beginning April 7.

 

It was barely two weeks ago that 11 regional parties had come together under the banner of an Alternative Front, stitched together by the CPI(M).

 

It is learnt Jayalalithaa will not give more than one seat each to the CPI(M) and the CPI. The AIADMK had forged an alliance with the Left for the state’s Assembly polls three years ago, a tie-up that was to continue for the general elections, 2014.

 

Last week, Jayalalithaa released her list of candidates for all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and one seat in Puducherry. She, however, demurred that there might be changes to honour the seat-sharing deal with the Left.

 

The Left parties are likely to meet soon to consider Jayalalithaa’s offer.

 

The Tamil Nadu chief minister also had not attended the recent meet in Delhi in which CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat announced the formation of the 11-party Alternative Front. Jayalalithaa had sent a representative.

 

Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal, or the BJD, and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) had also skipped the meeting.