TN polls: CPI-M, CPI to contest 6 seats each in DMK alliance

Chennai, March 8 (IANS) The two Communist parties, CPI-M and the CPI will contest in six seats each in the upcoming Assembly polls as part of the DMK alliance.While CPI-M had been sulking as the DMK was not ready to part with more than four seats, the alliance was finally sealed after DMK supremo M.K. Stalin had a detailed discussion with the CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.CPI-M state secretary K. Balakrishnan while speaking to IANS said, "CPI-M has settled for 6 seats in the DMK alliance as we don't want the secular votes to be split in the Assembly elections and benefit the AIADMK-BJP combine. CPI-M deserves more seats but we are clear in our goal and hence settled for 6 seats."Earlier, the CPI had settled for 6 seats in the Assembly elections while the CPI-M had walked out of the coalition partners meeting stating that it would not compromise on anything less than 6 seats.A top leader of the DMK on conditions of anonymity while speaking to IANS said, "CPI-M has certain pockets but they don't have much vote strength and we know that. However, for the larger interest of the coalition, we have settled for 6 seats for CPI-M."
--IANS aal/dpb