Rajya Sabha Elections: RJD demands one seat from LDF

Thiruvananthapuram: The Rashtriya Janata Dal has raised a claim for one of the two Rajya Sabha seats which are set to fall vacant on July 1 following the completion of the term of incumbent Left MPs.

Informing the same, RJD secretary general Dr Varughese George said that the party has already raised it with the CPM. 

Until 2014, candidates from the Socialist camp in Kerala contested the Lok Sabha elections. However, in this term, the LDF did not offer any seats to them. Later, discussions were held with the CPM, the leading party of the LDF. A written request was also made for the Rajya Sabha seat. In response, the CPM State secretary had stated that the matter would be deliberated upon during the Rajya Sabha elections.

According to current projections, the United Democratic Front (UDF) is expected to secure one seat, while the Left will be able to fill two seats. Traditionally, during Rajya Sabha elections, the CPM, being the major party within the coalition, gets one seat, while the other seat is allocated to other allies.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Cherian Phillip on other day criticised the LDF's treatment of its allies compared to that of the UDF. "Left allies like Kerala Congress (M) and RJD are entitled to a Rajya Sabha seat. When they were part of the Congress-led UDF, they were consistently treated with respect and given their fair share of Rajya Sabha seats by the Congress, often even sacrificing their own entitlement to accommodate their allies," stated Phillip.

He added that the Chairman of Kerala Congress (M) Jose K Mani and RJD president Shreyams Kumar have the eligibility to get tickets.