'TMC In Dilemma': Congress Demands 'Official Yes Or No' From Mamata Over I.N.D.I.A. Seat-Sharing In Bengal

The discord between the Congress and TMC surfaced when the ruling party in Bengal reportedly rejected the grand old party's request for a minimum of eight to ten seats.

West Bengal Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Source : PTI Images

West Bengal Congress President and MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said on Saturday that unless the Congress and TMC join forces, the minority communities in West Bengal may not support the Mamata Banerjee-led party.

"The TMC is facing a dilemma. There must be a clear affirmation or negation from the party supremo, Mamata Banerjee. They have not officially stated that the alliance negotiations have concluded. This hesitation is due to conflicting views within the party. Some believe that standing alone, without the I.N.D.I.A bloc, could lead to minority communities in West Bengal voting against them," Chowdhury tolf reporters.

#WATCH | Murshidabad: West Bengal Congress President and MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says, "They (TMC) are in a dilemma. There should be an official yes or no from the party Supremo (Mamata Banerjee). They are not saying officially that the process of forging the alliance has… pic.twitter.com/XtqmPeFtLI

— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2024

He continued, "There is internal debate within the TMC. One faction wishes to continue the alliance, while another fears that prioritising the alliance in West Bengal may result in the Modi government employing ED and CBI against them. These dual dilemmas have prevented the TMC from reaching a decisive conclusion. There may be discussions in Delhi, but I am not privy to such information."

According to a report by India Today which cited TMC sources, the seat-sharing negotiations for the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal have hit a roadblock, with state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury cited as the "biggest obstacle" in the relationship between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

The TMC's recent stance comes nearly a month after Banerjee's announcement that her party will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections independently in the state.

The report indicates that the Congress needs to make a decision regarding Choudhary for any progress in seat-sharing in West Bengal.

The TMC's offer to the Congress for West Bengal, Meghalaya, and Assam remains consistent, as per sources. In West Bengal, where the TMC holds power, the party is willing to allocate two Lok Sabha seats to the Congress out of the total 42.

The discord between the Congress and TMC surfaced when the ruling party in Bengal reportedly rejected the grand old party's request for a minimum of eight to ten seats.

For Meghalaya and Assam, the TMC may propose one seat each to the Congress, with Assam having 14 Lok Sabha seats and Meghalaya having two.