Kerala Assembly Poll 2021: Congress says UDF seat-sharing talks on ‘last lap’, to be finalised soon

“Seat sharing talks are progressing. We are on the last lap. We will finalise the list by today or tomorrow," Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said.

Ahead of the assembly elections in Kerala, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said on Friday the discussions about sharing seats within parties in the United Democratic Front (UDF) coalition in the state would be finalised on or before Saturday. “Seat sharing talks are progressing. We are on the last lap. We will finalise the list by today or tomorrow. For candidates' list, the screening committee will meet and go to Delhi for the Central Election Committee (meeting),” Chennithala was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Ramesh Chennithala denied allegations that the Congress party has weakened in Kerala. In picture - Chennithala (extreme left) arrives for a meeting with the party leaders. (PTI)

The UDF coalition, led by the Congress, comprises multiple parties like the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Kerala Congress (Joseph), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and other smaller parties in the state. It is also a part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) led by the Congress at the national level.

Commenting on the recent resignation of four Congress leaders from Wayanad, Chennithala denied allegations that the development has weakened the party. “The Congress is intact in Wayanad. Two lower-level office bearers have left and one of them has come back. One is an INTUC state secretary and the other is a Mahila Congress secretary,” he said.

The UDF is contesting against its major rival, the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Assembly elections have been scheduled in Kerala for April 6 and the votes would be counted on May 2, as announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI).