SJD insists on Cong' sitting LS seat

Congress, leading the ruling United Democratic Front in Kerala, today began seat sharing talks with its coalition partner Socialist Janata (Democratic) for the coming Lok Sabha elections.
During the talks, SJD pressed for allocating either Vadakara or Wayanad seat, both held by the Congress, party leader M P Veerendrakumar told reporters here emerging from the talks.
Congress representatives promised that they would consult the Congress central leadership and convey its response, he said.
'It is true that both Vadakara and Wayanad are the sitting seats of the Congress. But politically SJD has the right to demand either Vadakara or Wayanad seat', he said.

UDF Convener P P Thankachan said the talks were 'cordial'. The practical difficulty in (conceding) their demand had been conveyed, he said.
Vadakara is represented by Union Minister of State for Home Mullappally Ramachandran and Wayanad by M I Shanavaz, both senior Congress leaders.

Veerendrakumar said in the last parliament election, Congress had offered Vadakara seat to SJD, but the party was not prepared to contest the election then.
However, the party had campaigned against the LDF in the 2009 election, he said adding SJD, became a constituent of the UDF only after the 2009 election, he said.
On the possibility of Congress offering SJD a Rajya Sabha seat as a compromise, Veerendrakumar said 'the subject also cropped up during our discussion', but did not elaborate.

Besides Thankachan, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, KPCC President V M Sudheeran, Home minister Ramesh Chennithala from Congress and Veerendrakumar and Varghese George, SJD Secretary General, participated in the talks.