UDF finalises seat sharing in Kerala

After marathon discussions lasting for days, the opposition United Democratic Front in Kerala has finalised its sharing exercise among Front constituents for the April 13 assembly elections. As per the agreement reached Tuesday night, Congress, the lead partner in the front would contest in 81 seats, leaving 59 seats to other partners, a UDF source said.

The UDF has earmarked 24 seats for the Indian Union Muslim League and 15 seats for the Kerala Congress-Mani, the other major partner in the front. The problems with KC-M and Socialist Janata Democratic on the number of seats were solved through talks, the source said.

 While the KC-M, which had originally demanded 22 seats, finally settled for 15, the SJD, which had initially wanted 12 seats, agreed to contest in seven.

As for other front partners, Janadhipathya Samrakshana Samithi got four seats, Kerala Congress-Joseph and Communist Marxist Party (three each), Kerala Congress-Balakrishna (two) and Revolutionary Socialist Party of Kerala-Bolshevik (one). However, the seats to be contested by the respective parties would be finalised only on March 18, the source said.

Seat sharing in the ruling Left Democratic Front was completed on March 14. The lead partner, Communist Party of India-Marxist, is to contest in 93 seats, while 47 seats were earmarked for other front partners. The LDF also published its election manifesto on Tuesday.