The first round of official talks with the DMK ended in disappointment for both communist parties in Tamil Nadu. While they entered negotiations with a demand of a minimum of 10 seats each, the DMK began with an offer of just four seats.
Speaking to The News Minute, a senior leader in the CPI(M) said that the party had initially demanded atleast 13 seats but were only offered 4 seats in the first round of talks. In the 2011 elections the CPI had contested in 10 seats and the CPI(M) in 12 seats with the AIADMK alliance. Of these CPI won 9 seats and the CPI(M) won in 10 sears. In 2016, as part of a third front, both communist parties contested in 25 seats each but neither managed to win any seats.
"We want to atleast contest the number of seats we won in the 2011 alliance," says a CPI(M) leader. "But they are beginning talks at such a small number and that is very disappointing. As national parties we expect to contest in more seats," he adds.
While CPI began their second round of talks on Thursday, the CPI(M) continued to wait for the next set of negotiations. The delay in deciding on the number of seats to be alloted to the Congress has also led to an increase in wait time for the communist parties.
Sources in the DMK tell TNM that they are willing to go up to six seats each for the Communist parties but not beyond that. They are confident that talks will end by Friday evening if not earlier.
The VCK meanwhile has agreed to contest in six seats following talks with the DMK. The Congress which has been offered 18 seats meanwhile is unwilling to settle for the number and is expecting the DMK to up its offer. The two parties reached a temporary impasse in talks on Wednesday but are continuing to hold negotiations on Thursday.