The Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) are unhappy with the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) for a piecemeal seat-sharing offer made to them for the upcoming Telangana Assembly elections. The left parties reportedly held talks with BRS leaders but were left unhappy with the ‘one plus two’, or one MLA plus two MLC seats offered in return for their support to the BRS.
Though both the communist parties have been on the decline in Telangana, they hold some sway in seats like Munugode, Bhadrachalam and Devarakonda, once bastions of the CPI and CPI(M). “They sent someone from the BRS to speak with us who was 5th or 6th in the pecking order. Maybe BRS supremo K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) has an understanding with Amit Shah to save his daughter Kavitha over corruption charges she is facing from the Enforcement Directorate,” said a senior CPI leader from Hyderabad.
He added that both the CPI and CPI(M) were expecting five MLA seats each in terms of seat-sharing and that they were disappointed with the BRS. “They offered us the Munugode Assembly seat and two MLC seats. The CPI(M) was offered the Bhadrachalam seat and two MLC seats. KCR did this just to tell everyone that they made an offer. How can he offer us a seat in the Council during the Assembly elections?” the CPI leader, coordinator for the left parties, asked.
With an alliance with the BRS out of the question, the CPI is likely to go with the Congress. “The CPI(M) was staunchly against the Congress, but they seemed to have also mellowed down now, so we have to see what happens,” the CPI leader told TNM. He added that the CPI has a considerable influence in Munugode, Husnabad and Bellampally seats. The party had also supported the BRS candidate, who successfully contested the Munugode bye-poll held last year.
A senior BRS leader confirmed they held talks with left parties and it failed due to differences over expectations. “We made an offer. It was rejected,” said the leader.
In the previous 2018 state elections, the Congress allied with the Telugu Desam Party, CPI and other organisations. The alliance failed miserably as the BRS won 88 out of 119 seats, while the Congress and TDP won 19 and two seats, respectively. The All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) retained its seven seats in Hyderabad, while the Bharatiya Janata Party could win just one seat in Hyderabad.
The CPI managed to win the Devarakonda Assembly seat in the 2014 state elections, which were held just before Telangana’s bifurcation from Andhra Pradesh on June 2 that year. The BRS came to power by winning 63 seats, while the Congress and TDP won 21 and 15 seats respectively. It was followed by several defections to the BRS from opposition parties.