The CPI-M on Monday decided to hand over its Rajya Sabha seat to the Kerala Congress (M), as neither Kerala Congress (M) nor the CPI compromised on their claim for a berth in the Upper House of Parliament.
Three Rajya Sabha members from Kerala– CPI-M’s Elamaram Kareem, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam and Kerala Congress (M) chairman Jose K Mani, will retire on July 1.
The problem now is that while all the retiring members belong to the LDF , the front is in a position to call the shots on two seats, with the UDF getting the remaining one seat — to which Jose K Mani was elected when his party was part of the Congress-led UDF.
With both the CPI and Kerala Congress(M) standing firm on their claim for the seats in which they are retiring, the CPI-M has decided to give up its claim for the one Rajya Sabha seat which is being vacated by party leader Elamaram Kareem, for the unity of the alliance.
At the LDF meeting held here on Monday, the CPI-M has decided to allow CPI and Kerala Congress (M) to nominate their candidates for the Rajya Sabha seats that fall vacant on July 1.
With this, the CPI-M has sacrificed its Rajya Sabha seat in favour of a consensus in the ruling LDF. Political analysts say that the political situation in the state has forced the CPI-M to give up its claim for the Rajya Sabha seat. If Kerala Congress(M) has not been given one of the seats, there are chances of it being walked out of the LDF.
After the Lok Sabha poll results, KPCC president K. Sudhakaran has offered Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani an olive branch by requesting his return to the UDF.
The BJP is also wooing the Kerala Congress (M), a significant force among Christians in central Kerala.
Meanwhile, the Indian Union Muslim League(IUML) on Monday nominated Supreme Court lawyer Haris Beeran as the party’s candidate to the Rajya Sabha from Kerala.