Reaffirming the opposition’s objective to strengthen the INDIA bloc against BJP-led NDA ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress general secretary in-charge communications said, “Mamata Banerjee and TMC have said that they want to strengthen INDIA Alliance and the biggest motive is to defeat the BJP“.
The chances of an alliance between Congress and the TMC in West Bengal have been hanging in limbo ever since chief minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that her party would fight it alone in its home state.
CM Mamata Banerjee announces TMC will contest Lok Sabha polls alone in West Bengal
Mamata made the announcement after Congress refused to accept TMC’s offer of two Lok Sabha seats in the state.
She, however, kept doors for post-poll adjustments open on the “all-India level” and insisted the Trinamool would do “whatever is needed to defeat the BJP”.
Speaking on the Mamata’s earlier discontent with the Congress party over the seat-sharing, Jairam Ramesh said, “heated discussions keep taking place between the two parties but we respect Mamata Banerjee”.
Other than TMC in West Bengal, Congress and Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi are close to finalising a deal. According to reports, AAP will contest four Lok Sabha seats in the national capital, while the Congress will get the rest three.
In Uttar Pradesh, where Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav will be joining Rahul Gandhi during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, INDIA bloc registered its first breakthrough in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh where Samajwadi Party and Congress agreed to 63-17 division of 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The Congress wanted 20 seats, but eventually settled for 17.
The time when the seats will be distributed:SP Akhlesh Yadav
According to Congress, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi played a key role in breaking the deadlock between the two parties by talking to Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.
(With ANI input)