After Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O’Brien’s ‘no alliance’ in West Bengal remark, the Congress on Saturday maintained that seat-sharing talks with Mamata Banerjee’s party are still underway.
Speaking to media persons, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh downplayed the TMC MP’s remarks and said heated discussions keep taking place between the two parties but discussions on a seat sharing pact are still underway.
“Discussions are underway. Our doors are always open for TMC. Mamata Banerjee and TMC have said that they want to strengthen INDIA Alliance and the biggest motive is to defeat the BJP…Heated discussions keep taking place between the two parties but we respect Mamata Banerjee…,” Ramesh said.
His remarks came a day after Derek O’Brien, TMC MP and a close associate of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, maintained their earlier position of contesting all the 42 seats in West Bengal even as reports claimed the two INDIA block parties are in advance stage of finalising an alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
“A few weeks ago, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee stated that TMC is fighting all the 42 seats in Bengal. We are also in the fray in a few seats in Assam and the Tura Lok Sabha seat in Meghalaya. There is no change in this position,” he said on Friday.
This comes in the backdrop of a recent announcement of an alliance between the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in Uttar Pradesh.
The Congress, which is the largest constituent of the Opposition’s INDIA’s block, is also believed to have entered in an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi, Goa, Gujarat and Haryana.
An official announcement in this regard is expected today.