Assembly polls: Left parties not to contest in coastal Karnataka

The CPI(M) and CPI have decided not to contest in any seat in the coastal districts of Karnataka in the coming assembly elections to prevent division in anti-BJP votes. The leaders of the two parties say that secular votes should be consolidated in the region to keep the BJP out of power.

In Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts where they have considerable influence, the left parties have decided to stay out of the electoral fray to ensure the defeat of BJP candidates. CPI(M) Dakshina Kannada district secretary Sunil Kumar Bajal said the though the party will not field candidates in the coastal districts, they will be active in the campaigning for secular candidates.

The two parties have convened a meeting at the town hall here on April 18 to chalk out their election strategy. It is expected that their decision to support winnable candidates of secular parties will be declared at the meeting. Coastal Karnataka had been a firm base of the left parties right from 1962 when CPI leader A Krishna Shetty was elected as MLA of the erstwhile Ullal (now Mangaluru) constituency, defeating B M Iddinabba of Congress.

The youth wings of left parties are also actively involved in various social issues in the coastal districts. DYFI state president Munir Katipalla said the aim of the left parties in the current political scenario is to defeat the BJP and its anti-people policies.