Cong, Left seal deal for Bengal polls
Allies decide on 193 out of 294 constituencies; to organise joint rally on Feb. 28
The Congress and Left Front, which are fighting the coming West Bengal Assembly election in an alliance, have amicably finalised their seat-sharing formula in 193 out of 294 constituencies with a plan to resolve their partnership equation in the remaining 101 seats soon.
The two allies also decided to organise a joint mega rally on February 28 at the Brigade Parade Ground to put up a united face. They are in the process of inviting their central leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Sitaram Yechury as key speakers at the event, according to sources. Out of the 193 Assembly seats, the Congress will contest in 92, the Left will field its candidates from 101, said state Congress president and Berhampore MP Adhir Chowdhury at the state party headquarters after the talks between the two sides there on Thursday.
“Based on each other’s co-ordination, we reached this level unanimously. It is a successful and fair step towards a pollalliance,” he added. The list of 193 seats includes 77 seats which were sorted out by the two sides in their last round of meeting on January 25.
Going by the name and number of the seats they had won in the 2016 Assembly election, the Congress and the Left decided to field their candidates in 44 and 33 constituencies respectively this time also.
In Thursday’s meeting, the two partners shared 116 seats- 68 for the Left and 48 for the Congressamong themselves, said Left Front chairman Biman Bose. “To unseat the ruling Trinamul Congress from power and beat the BJP, all are welcome to get accommodated to the alliance of Congress and Left,” he added.
A tight bargain is however expected between them in the next round of talks as the Congress, which secured 92 seats altogether in its tally for contest, has already sought to contest in as many as 130 out 294 seats.