THE buzz over the seat-sharing formula of the Opposition’s I.N.D.I.A. bloc hit a crescendo on Friday after a few partners within the alliance hinted at going all ‘alone’ in next year’s Lok Sabha elections or not willing to ‘compromise’ in their respective States. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has asserted that their party is the biggest in Maharashtra, hinting at no compromise over seat- sharing talks. “This is Maharashtra, and Shiv Sena is the biggest party here. Congress is a national party. Uddhav Thackeray is having positive discussions with the decision-making leaders of Congress including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and KC Venugopal. We have always said that Shiv Sena has always been fighting on 23 seats in the Lok Sabha elections including Dadra and Nagar Haveli and that will be firm,” Raut had said. Prior to Shiv Sena (UBT), Mamata Banerjee on Thursday expressed her desire to test Bengal waters alone in the next year’s Lok Sabha elections.

 

“I.N.D.I.A. alliance will be there across the country. In Bengal, the TMC will fight and defeat the BJP. Remember, in Bengal, only TMC can teach a lesson to the BJP and not any other party,” Mamata said while she was speaking at a gathering in North 24 Parganas. However, the Trinamool Congress supremo said that I.N.D.I.A. alliance will contest on all seats across the country. Congress’s National Alliance Committee, set up to facilitate seat-sharing talks with allies, will hold meetings with party leaders from the States here on Friday and Saturday, and the negotiations with the allies will formally start next week after the panel submits a report to party chief Mallikarjun Kharge. With the clock ticking for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and preparations taking shape for the party’s “Bharat Nyay Yatra”, the Congress is set to hold a series of high-level meetings.

 

Meanwhile, Congress has said that talks on the agreement with all the parties will be held with an ‘open mind’. Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary in charge of communications, said, “Khule mann aur band muh se hi hum seat sharing pe baat aage chalaenge (We will carry forward seat-sharing talks with an open mind and refraining from public statements).” The Congress leader added that different States would pose different challenges with regard to advancing seat-sharing talks and the discussions, hence, be held, taking all aspects into consideration. “The seat-sharing talks are ongoing and will continue. We will do what needs to be done. There are different conditions and challenges in different States. We will be having discussions on seat sharing, keeping in mind the different (political) realities there,” Ramesh said.