A day after the formal seat-sharing deal announcement between the Congress and Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, indications suggest that the Congress is actively working to finalize alliances in other crucial states, including West Bengal. A breakthrough in West Bengal could significantly boost the morale of the Opposition, reeling from recent political shifts, including Nitish Kumar’s move to the BJP-led NDA.
Sources reveal that talks between Congress and Trinamool Congress, which had hit an impasse, have seen a revival over the past week. However, the negotiation process faces challenges as Trinamool Congress has set a demanding threshold for the Congress. The party insists on conceding only two seats to the Congress in West Bengal while seeking one seat each in Meghalaya and Assam in return.
A senior TMC leader involved in the negotiations stated, “In the 2019 general election, in the Tura Lok Sabha seat in Meghalaya, the Trinamool got 28% of the votes and the Congress 9%. Therefore, we are rightfully asking the Congress to concede the seat to us, while we will work with them in Shillong, where they got 15% votes and we got 6%.”
The ongoing discussions reflect the intricacies of Opposition unity, with seat-sharing becoming a critical factor in shaping alliances for the upcoming elections. As negotiations unfold, the outcome in West Bengal could have broader implications on the national political landscape.
