WB polls: Seat sharing agreement still eludes Congress, TMC
March 13th, 2011 - 8:26 pm ICT by ANI
New Delhi, Mar 13 (ANI): The talks about seat sharing in the ensuing Assembly polls to West Bengal eluded the Congress and its ally the Trinamool Congress (TMC) as on Sunday.
The talks continued to be a thorny issue between the alliance partners as Railway Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee offered only 58 of the total 294 seats, while the Congress demanded 98.
Congress leaders Shakeel Ahmed and Manas Bhuiyan held closed-door meetings here to chalk out the strategy for the deliberations with their ally later in the day.
Both said that alliance would continue and the problem would be resolved soon.
“We are discussing things with our alliance partner. And if something concrete happens, if we reach on any final decision, we will let you know. It is very difficult to say how long it will take but we are trying to finalize it as soon as possible,” said Shakeel Ahmed.
“In a comfortable position we have started our discussion. Both the party leaders, we are hopeful that we will go for alliance with the Congress and the Trinamool Congress and it will be sorted out with our discussion,” added Manas Bhuiyan.
Mamata Banerjee and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will hold another meeting to finalise seat sharing.
TMC leader Mukul Roy said, “We have realised that it is important to end the Left rule in West Bengal. A final meeting will happen between Mamata Banerjee and Pranab Mukherjee to finalise the seat sharing.”
Mamata wants to come out with her list of candidates by Monday.
The state will have elections in six phases. The first phase of voting will take place on April 18, second phase on April 23, third phase on April 27, fourth phase on May 3, fifth phase on May 7 and sixth phase on May 10. (ANI)
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Tags: alliance partner, alliance partners, assembly polls, bhuiyan, congress leaders, fifth phase, finance minister, fourth phase, mamata banerjee, manas, party leaders, pranab mukherjee, railway minister, second phase, sixth phase, something concrete, thorny issue, tmc, trinamool congress, west bengal