Seat sharing issues delays Left Front candidate list

As the Left Front postponed the announcement of its candidate list on Wednesday, several reasons for the delay have come to the surface.

Left Front sources told DH that the Congress’ increasing demand for seats, which are traditionally contested by Left Front constituents, is the key reason behind the delay.

Earlier, Left Front Chairperson Biman Basu said that the candidate list will be announced on Wednesday.

According to Left Front sources, the key Left Front constituents Forward Bloc and the CPI have raised strong objections against the Congress staking claim to two seats that are usually contested by them.

The developments took place during a Left Front meeting on Wednesday.

“The Congress is keen on fielding a candidate from the Purulia Lok Sabha seat in Purulia district. But the seat is usually allotted to Forward Bloc which has made it clear during the Left Front meeting that they will not leave the seat to the Congress,” a top leader of a key Left Front constituent said.

Forward Bloc has been critical of the Left Front seeking to align with the Congress and has made it clear that it will not leave any of the three seats, which it usually contests from West Bengal.

Left Front sources revealed that Forward Bloc has already submitted the name of its three candidates from Purulia, Cooch Behar (in Cooch Behar district) and Barasat (in North 24 Paraganas district) to Biman Basu.

The Congress has also staked a claim for the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat in North 24 Paraganas district which the Left Front usually allots to the CPI.

Complicating the matter further, the CPI has already decided in their state council meeting to field candidates from Bashirhat, Ghatal (West Medinipur district) and Medinipur (spread over both West and East Medinipur districts) seats.

The Congress’ demand for the Basirhat seat has not gone down well with the CPI.

“The CPI has made it clear during the meeting that they will not leave the Basirhat seat to the Congress,” the Left Front leader said.

The CPM's option to leave two seats from its quota to the Congress so that the latter relents from demanding the Basirhat and Purulia seat has not been finalised yet.