Congresss-Trinamool attempt to resolve seat-sharing imbroglio
March 13th, 2011 - 6:22 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, March 13 (IANS) The Congress and the Trinamool Congress made yet another attempt Sunday to resolve the imbroglio over seat-sharing for the West Bengal assembly elections and sources said Trinamool chief and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee would take a final call on the issue.
Trinamool leader and Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy, on his arrival here Sunday, had one-and-half-hour-long meeting with All India Congress Committee (AICC) incharge for West Bengal Shakeel Ahmed and West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee member Manas Bhulia.
The sources said that Roy would now fly back to Kolkata, where he would brief Banerjee on the talks.
The meeting between Ahmed and Roy assumes significance in the backdrop of the Congress seeking to contest nearly one-third of the 294 assembly seats in the state and Banerjee’s reluctance to part with that many seats.
Trinamool sources said Banarjee is inclined to give 58 seats to the Congress. However, the catch is that a large number of these seats are in the bastion of the Communist Party of India-Marxist led Left Front.
While on the one hand the Congress is seeking one-third of the seats in West Bengal, it is not inclined to share its pie in Assam. The Trinamool Congress is seeking some seats from the Congress.
The Congress hardened its position on seat-sharing and cancelled the visit of Finance Minister Pranab Mukharjee and Ahmed to Kolkata Saturday.
Thereafter, Congress leader Ahmed Patel spoke to Banarjee to convey the Congress high command’s displeasure over her refusal to accede to its demand for 98 seats.
It is learnt that in order to avert the seat-sharing talks reaching point of no return, Banerjee proposed the visit of Roy to Delhi Sunday to meet Congress leaders.
- 'Congress-Trinamool pact within a week' (Lead) - Mar 14, 2011
- Pranab, Mamata seat-sharing meet inconclusive - Mar 16, 2011
- Pranab, Mamata meet on seat-sharing inconclusive (Lead) - Mar 16, 2011
- Coalition dharma: No provocative language - Mar 14, 2011
- Jolted by Trinamool, Congress to wait for Sonia's return (Lead) - Mar 18, 2011
- Talks with Trinamool not yet over: Pranab - Mar 16, 2011
- Congress seals pact with Trinamool for West Bengal assembly polls (Roundup) - Mar 22, 2011
- W.Bengal Polls: Gandhi instructs Mukherjee to meet TMC leaders - Mar 21, 2011
- Congress, Trinamool reach accord for Bengal polls (Lead) - Mar 21, 2011
- Jolted by Trinamool, Congress to discuss developments - Mar 18, 2011
- Congress, TMC leaders meet to discuss W. Bengal seat sharing pact - Mar 21, 2011
- Trinamool, Congress seal seat-sharing deal for Bengal polls (Intro Roundup) - Mar 22, 2011
- Congress, Trinamool seal pact for West Bengal assembly polls (Second Lead) - Mar 21, 2011
- Congress-TMC strike deal for WB polls - Mar 21, 2011
- Congress, Trinamool to hold another round of W. Bengal seat sharing talks - Mar 16, 2011
Tags: ahmed patel, aicc, assembly seats, communist party of india, communist party of india marxist, congress leader, congress leaders, final call, finance minister, imbroglio, incharge, india congress committee, mamata banerjee, manas, mukul, railway minister, reaching point, shakeel ahmed, trinamool congress, west bengal assembly elections