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TMC's Candidate List Announcement in West Bengal Dashes Congress' Seat-sharing Hopes

Kalyani Jha
10 Mar, 2024

The Trinamool Congress (TMC)'s recent announcement of its Lok Sabha candidate list for West Bengal has dealt a blow to the last remaining hopes of the Congress party regarding a seat-sharing agreement in the state. The decision, long-awaited by Mamata Banerjee's party, has left Congress leaders disheartened and prompted strong reactions.

Former Meghalaya Chief Minister and TMC leader Mukul Sangma expressed frustration over the delay in the announcement, attributing it to the Congress-led INDIA bloc's failure to present a unified front. Sangma emphasized the collective intent of the INDIA bloc parties to field a single candidate to consolidate their strength but lamented the lack of cooperation from the Congress. He criticized the Congress for being out of touch with ground realities and pointed out their own announcement of candidates in Meghalaya as evidence of their disconnect.

The TMC's candidate list for all 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal included several senior leaders who were nominated for a second time, while multiple sitting MPs were notably absent. The omission of sitting MP Nusrat Jahan and her replacement with Nurul Islam for the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat drew attention. Additionally, the inclusion of new faces such as former cricketers Yusuf Pathan and Kirti Azad sparked interest.

The announcement was met with disappointment from the Congress party, with senior leader Jairam Ramesh expressing dismay over the TMC's decision. Ramesh reiterated Congress' desire for a "respectable seat-sharing agreement" with the TMC in West Bengal, underscoring the party's efforts to negotiate in good faith.

The Congress had previously announced its first list of 39 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, including two seats from Meghalaya, signaling its readiness to contest independently in the state.

As tensions rise between the TMC and Congress over the seat-sharing issue in West Bengal, the political landscape in the state continues to evolve, setting the stage for a fiercely contested electoral battle.