After the BJP and the Congress, it?s the turn of the Left now to be beset with seat sharing woes. Acute differences between the CPI and the CPI(M) on seat sharing in Kerala came out in the open on Friday when the former threatened to field candidates in all constituencies of the latter in the Lok Sabha polls if it was not allowed to contest the Ponanni seat.

??There is no going back on our demand for four seats including Ponnani. We will not surrender to the CPI(M)?s strategy of containing the partners. We are ready to face any consequences arising from our decision,?? CPI state secretary Veliyam Bhargavan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram. He said the CPI would field its nominees in all the seats except those allotted to the non-CPI(M) LDF allies JD(S) and Kerala Congress (Joseph) faction. The party executive would meet on March 16 to select candidates, he said.

The CPI(M) has decided to field a ??common LDF independent?? from Ponnani, which was represented by Muslim League in the 14th Lok Sabha, as a tactical move to muster Muslim support from parties like the PDP of Abdul Nasser Madani.

Senior CPI(M) leaders here including party general secretary Prakash Karat discussed the issue at a hastily called politburo meeting. Senior leader MK Pandhe later said the party was hopeful that the issue would be ??resolved at the state level??. ??We are still hopeful that the issue will be resolved locally. We should try to maintain our unity till the end. I hope common sense will prevail,?? he told reporters.

After the meeting, Karat is understood to have had a telephonic conversation with CPI general secretary AB Bardhan to resolve the crisis. CPI leader D Raja said ??we are asking for four seats like last time. These include Ponnani. We should have a say in deciding as to who we should put up as a candidate there.?? Besides Ponnani, the CPI fought 2004 polls from Thrissur, Thiruvananthapuram and Mavalikkara constituencies.