CPI unhappy over meagre allocation of seats by DMK in TN poll

Chennai, Mar 12 (UNI) Unhappy over ''meagre'' allocation of Assembly seats to it by the DMK, heading the Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) in Tamil Nadu, the State Executive Council of the Communist Party of India (CPI) met here today to discuss the issue and decide its future course of action.

The CPI, which was the first to sign a poll accord with the DMK under which it was allotted ten seats to contest in the May eight Assembly elections, was upset when the CPI(M) was allotted 13 seats in the alliance.

It may be noted that both the Left parties had contested eight seats each in the 2001 Assembly elections in alliance with the AIADMK.

Upset over being treated as ''second among equals'' in the alliance, CPI functionaries and cadre had demanded that the party should be given at least two seats more.

The seat-sharing exercise had been a 'tight-rope' walk for DMK President M Karunanidhi, who was under pressure to satisfy all his allies in the wake of MDMK's exit from the DPA.

With the allocation of 48 seats to the Congress, 31 to the PMK, 13 to the CPI(M), ten to the CPI and three to the IUML, the DMK is left with 129 seats to contest, the second lowest since 1967.

As 118 seats are needed to get a majority in the 234-member House, the DMK is apparently not in a position to allot any more seats to its allies.

CPI sources said though the party would not walk out of the alliance at this stage, it would definitely express its displeasure to Mr Karunanidhi.

The CPI would impress upon the DMK Chief to at least allocate the constituencies, which had been identified by the party as favourable seats, the sources added.

CPI National Secretary D Raja, State Secretary D Pandian, National Executive Member R Nallakannu, State Deputy Secretaries Devaperinban and Mahendran, party MPs and legislators attended the meeting.

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