Tripura CPI eyes two seats - Party expects CPM to agree to its poll demand

Agartala, Oct. 9: Dispelling all doubts, CPI general secretary Sudhakar Rao Reddy today made it clear that the party has decided to contest in two seats in the ensuing Assembly elections in Tripura.

The party expects the CPM to allot two Assembly seats to its ally, the CPI, Reddy said at a news conference here today.

“We are part of the Left Front and hopefully the CPM will not reduce our quota in the 2013 Assembly elections,” Reddy, who attended the party’s crucial state council meeting last evening, said, adding that the party would declare its contenders for the seats soon after Durga Puja.

Besides reviewing the overall political situation in poll-bound Tripura, the CPI leaders viewed that there must be unity among Left allies keeping in mind the Left’s downfall in Bengal.

On being asked whether they are happy with two seats out of the total 60 Assembly segments, Reddy said, “We thought of asking for three seats this time but preferred to stick to two considering the ground reality. We are in favour of strengthening the Left movement instead of bargaining over seats.”

Reddy also requested the Centre to rethink its fast-track reforms allowing FDI in multi-brand retail.

“There is an outcry all over the country after the UPA government went for fast-track reforms in the name of country’s growth,” Reddy told reporters.

He said the Manmohan Singh-led government must rethink the move as common people have already become victims of skyrocketing prices.

However, he said the CPI was yet to take a decision on whether it would support the no-confidence motion if Trinamul Congress brings it in Parliament.

On the recent controversy around Priyanka Gandhi’s husband, Robert Vadra, after being charged of gaining favour of construction giant DLF, Reddy said, “The Centre must take a serious note and order a probe into the serious allegation of favouritism.”

On being asked about the possibility of forming a third front at the national level, the CPI leader said efforts were on to bring all the non-Congress, non-BJP parties under one umbrella.

Manju Kumar Majumder, secretary of the CPI Bengal unit who also attended the meet here, said, “People who had toppled the Left Front government in Bengal riding on the winds of change, now want change of guard again there.”

Asserting that the CPI is not against the Trinamul-led government, Majumder said they would continue to oppose anti-people policies of the both the UPA and the Bengal government.