Kolkata:
The Congress and the Trinamool have reportedly reached an agreement on a seat-sharing deal for the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal. The state goes to the polls in six phases starting April 18.
Sources have told NDTV that Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee spoke to Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee late on Thursday night and is believed to have agreed to accommodate the Congress' demand. Mukherjee is likely to be in Kolkata today to once again discuss the issue. The final list of candidates is also expected today, sources added.
On Thursday, the Congress sought to downplay the delay in clinching a seat-sharing deal with Trinamool. State Congress President Manas Bhuniya said it was taking time because of procedural work only.
''We have to bear with it. We want the alliance with Trinamool Congress in a very positive way. We are moving in that direction,'' Bhuniya told reporters in Kolkata after the party's state election committee meeting.
He said Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee was also discussing the issue with the Congress leadership in a cordial manner and "we are very hopeful of the alliance."
His remarks came a day after Mamata had threatened to announce the list of her party candidates if the Congress leadership failed to finalise the seat-sharing deal.
The Trinamool chief, however, later deferred by a day the deadline set by her for the Congress to arrive at an agreement on seat-sharing deal.
On Tuesday, the seat-sharing talks between Mamata Banerjee and Pranab Mukherjee were inconclusive. While Mamata was reportedly not willing to give more than 62 out of the 294 seats, the Congress wanted at least 70 seats, sources said.
Sources have told NDTV that Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee spoke to Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee late on Thursday night and is believed to have agreed to accommodate the Congress' demand. Mukherjee is likely to be in Kolkata today to once again discuss the issue. The final list of candidates is also expected today, sources added.
On Thursday, the Congress sought to downplay the delay in clinching a seat-sharing deal with Trinamool. State Congress President Manas Bhuniya said it was taking time because of procedural work only.
''We have to bear with it. We want the alliance with Trinamool Congress in a very positive way. We are moving in that direction,'' Bhuniya told reporters in Kolkata after the party's state election committee meeting.
He said Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee was also discussing the issue with the Congress leadership in a cordial manner and "we are very hopeful of the alliance."
His remarks came a day after Mamata had threatened to announce the list of her party candidates if the Congress leadership failed to finalise the seat-sharing deal.
The Trinamool chief, however, later deferred by a day the deadline set by her for the Congress to arrive at an agreement on seat-sharing deal.
On Tuesday, the seat-sharing talks between Mamata Banerjee and Pranab Mukherjee were inconclusive. While Mamata was reportedly not willing to give more than 62 out of the 294 seats, the Congress wanted at least 70 seats, sources said.
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