Civic polls: District Cong leaders dig heels on seat-sharing

The party’s district chiefs have been miffed ever since three top state Congress leaders Subrata Mukherjee,Pradip Bhattacharya and Manas Bhuinya met Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee and announced that a Congress-Trinamool joint panel comprising state leaders would decide on the seat-sharing and candidates for the civic polls due in the state in May.

Earlier,state Congress president and Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had said the seat-sharing and selection of candidates would be left to party’s district presidents.

In Friday’s meeting,Nadia district Congress president Shankar Singh and MP Deepa Dasmunsi said the “seat-sharing will be possible amicably and not by force”,adding the stronger party in a locality should be given priority while deciding on candidates.

“We want the alliance (with Trinamool) but can not jeopardize the interests of our party,” Dasmunsi said.

State Congress working president Subrata Mukherjee said after the meeting,“We have appointed observers for every district and they have been asked to submit their report by March 15. We will discuss these reports with Pranab Mukherjee accordingly.”