LS polls: Lalu, Akhilesh call Mamata, ‘want to broker deal between TMC and Cong in Bengal’

Congress has sent another proposal wherein it had said that if the TMC agrees to spare five seats in Bengal then it would spare TMC more seats than it had previously agreed to in other states

MP, 26 Feb 2024 : As INDIA bloc partners, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Samajwadi Party chief, Akhilesh Yadav are learnt to have called Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee, wanting to broker seat-sharing talks between Trinamool Congress and the Congress in Bengal to defeat the BJP. 

Seat-sharing talks with Congress had fallen flat on its face after TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee made it clear that her party is not willing to spare more than two seats in Bengal. 

The Congress had demanded at least six seats which led Banerjee to call off any further negotiation. Sources said that both Lalu Prasad and Akhilesh told Banerjee that the Congress has drawn up a fresh proposal. 

It had recently come to light through reports that the Congress has sent another proposal wherein it had said that if the TMC agrees to spare five seats in Bengal then it would spare TMC more seats than it had previously agreed to in other states where Congress has a stronghold. But, Banerjee had reiterated her stance that TMC will fight alone in Bengal. 

On Sunday, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, on being asked about seat sharing, told the media, “I don’t have any comments to make on the alliance because Mamata Banerjee has made our stance clear. On one hand, they (Congress) talk of an alliance with TMC, on the other hand, Adhir 

Ranjan Chowdhury says that if Mamata Banerjee has the courage, she should contest against him in Berhampore. This means that the Congress Pradesh chief is not following the directives of the national Congress and we can’t say anything about this.” 

However, this situation may change ahead of the Lok Sabha election when seat sharing in other states with Congress are happening at a blistering pace. INDIA bloc partners such as Samajwadi Party, Aam Aadmi Party have already fixed the seat sharing agreement with Congress while others are expected to follow suit soon. 

In such circumstances, political observers are of the opinion that TMC too will join the bandwagon and is waiting for a better deal with Congress. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/ls-polls-lalu-akhilesh-call-mamata-want-to-broker-deal-between-tmc-and-cong-in-bengal-553568