Seat-sharing talks on with all INDIA partners, says Congress

Speaking to reporters at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, party general secretary in-charge, communications, Jairam Ramesh said talks were on with West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee but seat share has not been finalised yet.

Ramesh said seat share with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will be finalised in a day or two. He also said talks were on with all INDIA bloc parties, including National Conference and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

Asked if some BSP MPs were in touch with the Congress, Ramesh said, “Let’s see what happens in Amroha. Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will be in Amroha tomorrow (Saturday). You will get the first hint in Amroha.”

Ali, who was suspended by the BSP in December, has welcomed the Rahul Gandhi-led yatra in his constituency on February 24, and has assured that locals will ensure it becomes successful. Ali had earlier attended the launch of the yatra in Manipur and is likely to join it Saturday. As part of its arrangement with the SP, the Congress is set to contest Amroha and Ali has been active on the ground in anticipation of getting a ticket.

Sources said talks between the Congress and the TMC had gone off the table a few days ago but have revived once again in recent days. The TMC was bargaining with the Congress to get seats in Assam and Meghalaya in return for seats it was offering to the Congress in West Bengal, the sources said.

Trinamool’s leader in the Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien, however, said, “A few weeks ago, TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee had said that TMC is going to contest from all the 42 seats in Bengal. We are also in the fray in a few seats in Assam and the Tura Lok Sabha seat in Meghalaya. There is no change in this position.”

With AAP, the Congress is in talks of having an alliance in Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, Goa, and Chandigarh. While both were in favour of an alliance in Delhi, a decision on Gujarat, Goa, and Haryana hasn’t been arrived at yet.

Earlier, same was the tussle with SP in UP but finally the regional party agreed to give 17 seats to the Congress. The parties Wednesday announced that the Congress will contest from 17 seats, while the SP will field candidates of its own and potential smaller allies from the remaining 63 seats. The Congress has given one seat to the SP in Madhya Pradesh and its party president Akhilesh Yadav will be joining Congress’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Agra Saturday.