Unhappy with Trinamool, Congress mulls options in Bengal
March 19th, 2011 - 11:39 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) Keeping its options open in the wake of Trinamool Congress unilaterally finalising 228 party candidates for the West Bengal assembly polls, the Congress said Saturday that it will take a decision on alliance in the next two-three days.
Congress general secretary Shakeel Ahmed, who is in charge of the party’s affairs in West Bengal, said the party will deliberate every aspect before taking its final decision.
“This is a new development. The list was declared unilaterally. Talks were inconclusive. Congress will consider every aspect and a decision will be taken by Tuesday,” Ahmed told IANS.
He said the party will decide whether to accept the 64 seats the Trinamool Congress has given it, field more candidates or to go it alone in alliance with smaller parties.
Congress sources said its leaders in West Bengal were hurt over the Trinamool announcing its candidates unilaterally and told the central leadership to consider the possibility of the party fighting the polls by itself.
They said besides the party getting about 10 seats less from the Trinamool, there was also the question about the choice of seats.
The sources said several state leaders were of the opinion that the party may get more seats if it decides to go it alone.
The sources said that though the overarching goal was defeat of the ruling Left Front in the state, the Congress would not like to sacrifice its own space in the state.
They said that a final decision would be taken after Holi and the return of party president Sonia Gandhi from London.
Trinamool Congress chief and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday announced a list of 228 candidates, leaving only 64 seats for the Congress to contest in the polls to the 292-member assembly.
Mamata Banerjee also said that her party was also ready with a list of 64 candidates and if the Congress did not agree to its offer by March 21, she would release the names of her party candidates.
The Trinamool and the Congress, along with the Socialist Unity Centre of India-Communist (SUCI-C), had joined hands before the Lok Sabha polls IN 2009 and decimated the Left Front that has been ruling the state since 1977. The alliance bagged 26 of the state’s 42 Lok Sabha seats.
West Bengal will go for a six-phase polls in April-May.
- Trinamool names 228 candidates, leaves 64 seats for Congress (Roundup) - Mar 19, 2011
- Mamata names 228 candidates, leaves 64 seats for Congress - Mar 18, 2011
- Trinamool names 228 candidates, leaves 64 seats for Congress (Lead) - Mar 18, 2011
- Jolted by Trinamool, Congress to wait for Sonia's return (Lead) - Mar 18, 2011
- Trinamool, Congress seal seat-sharing deal for Bengal polls (Intro Roundup) - Mar 22, 2011
- Jolted by Trinamool, Congress to discuss developments - Mar 18, 2011
- WB polls: Displeased Congress to take a final call after Holi - Mar 19, 2011
- Congress to take up Trinamool issue, Kerala list Monday - Mar 20, 2011
- Congress, Trinamool reach accord for Bengal polls (Lead) - Mar 21, 2011
- Sonia to decide on joining Bengal government: Congress - May 13, 2011
- Congress seals pact with Trinamool for West Bengal assembly polls (Roundup) - Mar 22, 2011
- NCP forges alliance with Trinamool, gets one seat - Mar 23, 2011
- Congress in no hurry to announce Bengal candidates - Mar 21, 2011
- Congress-TMC strike deal for WB polls - Mar 21, 2011
- Will sack rebel Bengal Congressmen: Pranab - Apr 03, 2011
Tags: central leadership, final decision, general secretary, holi, london, mamata banerjee, march 19, march 21, member assembly, New Delhi, party candidates, party president, railway minister, shakeel ahmed, sonia gandhi, state leaders, trinamool congress chief, west bengal