Stalemate over pre-poll alliance between Congress, CPI continues in Khammam

Uncertainty continues over a pre-poll alliance between the Congress and the CPI in municipalities of the erstwhile Khammam district, even after the nomination deadline. While some parties are set to contest independently, others are still negotiating seat-sharing arrangements.

Khammam: The stalemate over a pre-poll alliance between the Congress and the CPI in the erstwhile Khammam district is continuing even as the last date to submit nomination papers ended on Friday.

Confusion continued over alliances between the parties in Sathupalli, Madhira, Wyra, Edulapuram and Kallur municipalities in Khammam district. While discussions are underway in some places, in others, the parties have prepared to contest independently.

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The alliance between the Congress and the CPI was likely to be limited to only a few municipalities. The Congress has announced that it would contest independently in Sathupalli and Kallur municipalities.

In Edulapuram, of the 32 wards, the Congress announced candidates for 25 municipal wards and there was no clarity on the remaining wards. As a result, the aspirants have filed nominations for all the wards in the municipality so that the seat sharing could be decided at the time of withdrawal of nominations.

Meanwhile, the BRS and the CPM have decided to contest together in all the municipalities in Khammam district, as they did in the gram panchayat elections, and the leaders of both parties have been conducting election meetings together, appealing to voters to support their candidates.

In the Edulapuram municipality, the BRS has agreed to contest in 23 seats and the CPM in nine seats. In Sathupalli, out of 23 wards, one ward has been allocated to the CPM. The BRS would contest in the remaining wards. In Kallur, an agreement has been reached to give the CPM a co-option position if the alliance won.

In Kothagudem Municipal Corporation, the CPM joined hands with the Congress and was allotted two wards. However, the seat sharing between the Congress and the CPI was yet to be finalised, though leaders claimed that 21 wards would be allotted to the CPI along with the deputy mayor post.

It was said that Congress leaders wanted five wards of the 21 wards that were allotted to the CPI, which opposed the proposal, stating that the five wards were sitting seats of the party. One ward was allotted to the TDP in Kothagudem. The BRS was contesting the elections without any alliance.