Congress announces list of 75, aims at 100 seats

The Congress on Tuesday announced the names of 75 Assembly constituencies which it will be contesting as part of an electoral agreement with the Left Front. The Congress is pitting general secretary Om Prakash Mishra against CM Mamata Banerjee in Bhowanipore Assembly constituency. A day ago, the Left Front had announced candidates for 116 seats. Thus, the two Opposition camps have reached an understanding on 191 seats.

Claiming that the Left Front and Congress have “unanimously agreed” on these 75 seats, state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury, however, said that his party was aiming at 100 seats. Realising the CPI(M)’s desperation to prevent a split in Opposition vote, the Congress is driving a hard bargain.

“The negotiation with the Left parties is not yet over. As soon as the discussions are concluded, we will announce the names of remaining seats,” he added. Explaining the reason for announcing the names of the seats and not candidates, Mr Chowdhury said it was a Congress tradition that candidates were announced by the AICC.

Mr Chowdhury was addressing the media after a high-level meeting of the newly-constituted election committee at Bidhan Bhavan. Important leaders like Mohammad Sohrab, Somen Mitra, Manas Bhunia, Mausam Benazir Noor, Deepa Das Munshi, Abdul Mannan, Omprakash Mishra were present.

Left Front chairman Biman Bose on Monday took pains to explain they were going for a seat adjustment and not entering into an alliance with the Congress.