As the date for counting draws closer, a war of words has erupted between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) over the Kollam Lok Sabha seat. While RSP leaders argue that they were denied the Kollam parliamentary seat in 2014 leading to their exit from the Left Democratic Front, the CPI(M) leadership says the allegation is baseless.
According to CPI(M) district secretary S. Sudevean, the RSP staked a false claim to the Kollam seat where the CPI(M) had been contesting for 15 years.
“Since 1999, the CPI(M) has been contesting the Kollam parliamentary seat. N. K. Premachandran’s demand for CPI(M)‘s sitting seat was only a ploy to create a situation for him to leave the front and contest in the 2014 polls,” he said in a statement.
He also pointed out that the LDF government of 2006-11 had five representatives from Kollam in the Cabinet including P. K. Gurudasan, M.A. Baby, C. Divakaran, Mullakkara Ratnakaran and Mr. Premachandran.
“Then in next Assembly elections held in 2011 all other Ministers except Mr. Premachandran emerged victorious,” said Mr. Sudevan alleging that Mr. Premachandran had the taken RSP to the United Democratic Front for his own selfish gain after realising that he stood no chance of contesting in the next Assembly elections. Meanwhile, RSP district secretary K. S. Venugopal said that with only days left for the results of the parliamentary elections, the statement of the CPI(M) is quite suspicious and malicious. “Even before the split in the party in 1999, the CPI(M) had wrested many Assembly seats that belonged to the RSP. In 1999 they took over the Kollam Lok Sabha seat which the RSP candidate had won with a majority 75,000 votes. Then in 2001 and 2006 they snatched the Haripad and Kollam Assembly seats. The party was denied Lok Sabha and Assembly seats with the clear intention of eradicating the RSP in a phased manner. Following this, in 2004 and 2009, the RSP took a strong stand within the front demanding the Kollam Lok Sabha seat back,” he said. He further added that the decision to severe ties with the LDF and join the UDF was unanimous. “The despicable move of the CPI(M) to present it as a personal agenda and defame party leadership is nothing but a defence strategy as they will have to face the music when the results will be announced,” said Mr. Venugopal.
Published - May 25, 2024 08:17 pm IST
