CPI to contest four seats in Uttaranchal

Dehradun, Dec 28 (UNI) The Communist Party of India (CPI) will contest four seats in the coming assembly election in Uttaranchal, s senior party leader said.

''The party will contest from Gangotri, Kedarnath, Nandprayag and Pantnagar and the candidates will be decided at the party's executive meeting slated to be held in the first week of January under the chairmanship of Uttaranchal-in-charge Shamim Faizi,'' CPI state Secretary Samar Bhandari told UNI.

Ruling out the possibility of forming third front in the state, he noted that it was ''too late'' to do so. ''However we are not averse to seat-sharing and talks with Uttarakhand Kranti Dal is on, though a final decision is yet to be taken,'' he added.

Mr Bhandari said the party had contested in 11 constituencies in the last assembly elections and one party candidate Kamal Ram Nautiyal lost by a slim margin of 610 votes in Gangotri assembly constituency.

He said this time the party could perform well in at least three seats. ''The party is likely to get benefit of the prevailing anti-incumbency wave against ruling Congress and opposition BJP,'' he added.

Mr Bhandari added the CPI was also very careful about any conflict with other Left parties on seat adjustment.

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