Mamata will choose KMC mayoral candidate: Congress

The Congress leader added that even before finalising the seat sharing with Trinamool,the party would wait for discussions with Banerjee.

“We had a talk (on seat sharing) with Mamata Banerjee over the phone and she said she would discuss the matter on her return to Kolkata. We are waiting for her call,” added Mukherjee.

According to Congress party sources,discussions on seat sharing are on in a number of districts in South Bengal,including Howrah,North 24 parganas,South 24 parganas and Hooghly. Congress’s candidate list will be ready by April 17 while the Trinamool is expected to publish its list by April 20,said a Congress official.

Congress leaders,however,accepted that talks on seat sharing are to take off in some districts.

In Nadia,district Congress leaders are reportedly infuriated as Banerjee has decided to give tickets to 16 councillors who defected from the Congress. In Murshidabad too,Congress strongman Adhir Choudhury is not keen on seat sharing with Trinamool,because “the latter does not have a base in the district”. Even in Birbhum,the Congress is not very keen to share seats with its ally,it is learnt.

“There are some districts where seat sharing may not work out. We have left the matter for the district leaders to decide upon,” added Mukherjee.

The Trinamool is,meanwhile,busy making its list of candidates. “The process is on and Mamata Banerjee will take a final decision,” said Subrata Bakshi,Trinamool state president.