The biggest challenge for the India alliance is seat sharing.
The date of 31st December has also passed. In our last meeting, this date was declared as the deadline for seat sharing. However, a final decision on this issue has not been taken yet.
Before this, the claims of major parties have started coming forward. In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee does not seem ready to give more than two seats to Congress. At the same time, the Congress party wants to maintain its dominance in Hindi speaking states.
Trinamool Congress has offered just two seats to INDIA alliance ally Congress in West Bengal for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Sources have given this information. Sources have also said that the Mamata Banerjee-led party is of the opinion that TMC should be allowed to take the final decision on seat sharing in Bengal.
The seat-sharing figures are based on a clear formula, which is synchronized with parliamentary elections and state assembly elections.
Apart from this, Trinamool Congress has also reiterated its choice of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge as the India alliance convenor.
Trinamool Congress sources said the party has nothing to say against Nitish Kumar, but the party believes Kharge would have a better impact as convenor of the opposition alliance. Sources said that Trinamool Congress believes that Kharge, who comes from the Dalit community, is a better option as he can influence 58 seats.
During the meeting of the opposition India Alliance held in New Delhi last month, it was decided that seat-sharing talks for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections should be finalized as soon as possible.
Trinamool Congress had sought to finalize the seat-sharing details by December 31, 2023. The deadline has passed. The alliance has still not reached a consensus on seat-sharing.
Congress’s attitude is not liberal
The responsibility of creating harmony on seat sharing has been given to Congress. Congress has prepared a probable list of seats after discussions with state leaders.
Congress feels that national issues will dominate the Lok Sabha elections, hence it will play a leading role in the fight against BJP.
Rahul Gandhi had assured the alliance leaders that the party would adopt a liberal approach on seat sharing. But according to the list prepared by Congress, there seems to be no mood for compromise in the Hindi speaking states.
Congress laid emphasis on 40 seats in UP
India Today, quoting sources in one of its reports, has said that UP Congress is preparing a list of 40 seats where Congress is in a strong position. This list will be submitted in the big meeting of the party.
Congress feels that for the Lok Sabha elections, Congress has a good hold in UP too and if SP can give a big share to BSP while being in alliance, then why not Congress? There is a heavy presence of minority voters in many of the seats on which Congress is eyeing. These seats are SP’s favourites.
Congress’s claim on these major seats in UP
Amroha
Saharanpur
Lakhimpur Kheri
Bijnor
Moradabad
Lucknow
Rae Bareli
Amethi
barabanki
Congress’s claim on these seats in Bihar
Katihar
Kishanganj
Purnia/Katihar (any one)
Aurangabad
Bhagalpur
buxar
Sasaram
Motihari/Valmikinagar (any one)
Nawada
Patna