Cong-Trinamool talks hit a roadblock

State Congress working president Pradip Bhattacharjee,who attended the talks held at the Kolkata Port Trust guest house,said the Trinamool’s proposal was not acceptable to his party. “We have sought another round of talks with the Trinamool leadership over the issue. We are,however,positive the talks should continue and we will reach a consensus.”

Interestingly,the Trinamool has agreed to offer the Congress ward number 87,which was won in 2005 by former mayor Subrata Mukherjee. The seat has now become reserved for women after the delimitation. Mukherjee had defected from the Trinamool to the Congress in 2005 and contested from ward number 87 and won it. His defection was by and large responsible for the collapse of the Trinamool Congress-run KMC in 2005.

Partha Chatterjee and Union minister Mukul Roy represented the Trinamool Congress in today’s seat-sharing talks while the Congress was represented by Pradip Bhattacharjee,Pradip Ghosh,Manas Bhuniya and Subrata Mukherjee.

The Congress camp seemed frustrated with today’s offer. “Of the 21 seats the Trinamool has offered us,only eight were won by our party in 2005 polls. In the rest 13,we lost. How can we accept such an offer?” said a senior Congress leader.

Both sides have conveyed today’s outcome to their top leadership.