Telangana: CPI(M) announces first list of 17 seats after pre-poll alliance talks with Congress fail

HYDERABAD: After failing to reach a seat sharing agreement with the Congress, the Telangana unit of CPI(M) on Thursday released a list of 17 seats it would contest from during the November 30 polls.

Addressing a press conference, CPI (M) Telangana Secretary T Veerabhadram told reporters that they waited until now for the Congress' response on the seat sharing, but to no avail.

"Under these circumstances, as there is no other choice, we decided to go it alone. We thoroughly discussed several issues in the state committee meeting on Wednesday. We got proposals from 24 constituencies. But the state leadership gave it a go ahead with the first list of 17 seats," the CPM leader told reporters.

Ultimately the list may go up to 20, he said adding there may be one or two modifications in the released list. Veerabhadram said if the CPI also could not clinch a deal with Congress, then there may be some changes in the list.

He said the prime motto of the party was to defeat the BJP candidates and then to request the people to vote for Left parties for representation in the assembly in order to represent poor people's voice. On the rest of the seats, wherever BJP has winnability, the CPI(M) will ask people to vote for the stronger principal contender either Congress or BRS, there, he added.