Tamil Nadu assembly polls 2011: DMK v/s Congress?

New Delhi, Mar 6: The CPI(M) has not got any indication that the AIADMK would leave its allies to join hands with the Congress for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly polls in the wake of DMK's decision to pull out of the UPA government at the Centre.

Indicating that the DMK-Congress rift was likely to be resolved soon, top CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat today said, "We are in the midst of finalising seat sharing with the AIADMK.

We have no such indication. We are in constant touch with the parties with which we are going to contest the elections in Tamil Nadu".

He was replying to a question whether AIADMK would woo the Congress now that the DMK has pulled out of the UPA and whether AIADMK, in that case, would leave its present allies.

To a question on the DMK''s decision, Karat said, "Trouble within the UPA is nothing new. Earlier too, they had differences over ministeral berths. It is upto them. They will sort it out, I think. We are not concerned with what they are doing. You will soon see what happens".

Asked whether the rift would benefit the AIADMK-led coalition, he said in Tamil Nadu, there are two coalitions. "If one coalition has problems, it will help the other".

To a spate of questions on whether V S Achuthanandan and Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee would lead the polls in Kerala and West Bengal, Karat said, "I am sure Bhattacharjee will lead the election battle and campaign in West Bengal".

Pressed further on whether the Kerala Chief Minister would contest, he said, "He is a member of the Central Committee and Bhattacharjee of the Politburo. Both enjoy the full support and confidence of the party".

He said the two state committees would meet next week and take a final decision. "We do not dole out seats from here. We work on the method of collective principle. The state committees take a final decision and send it to the central leadership for approval".

The CPI(M) General Secretary, who also released a list of 17 candidates for the Assam elections, said candidates in Bengal and Kerala would be decided in consultation with the partners of the Left Front and Left Democratic Front.

In Assam, the CPI(M) is contesting in alliance with the CPI, CPI(M-L) and other groups. He said the main thrust of the Left campaign would be unprecedented price rise and the "massive corruption and siphoning off of public funds" as a result of the policies pursued by the Congress-led government at the Centre.

"We will appeal to the people to re-elect the LF government in West Bengal for the eighth time and LDF again," he said, adding Congress, Trinamool Congress and UDF allies should be defeated as "they are responsible for the acute price rise, massive corruption and attacks on the livelihood of the people".

PTI