Kolkata:
The Congress and the Trinamool have still not been able to sort out the seat sharing tangle in West Bengal which goes to the polls in six phases starting April 18.
Pranab Mukherjee flew down to Kolkata from Delhi with AICC leaders Shakil Ahmed and Janardhan Poojary specially to meet Mamata Banerjee. They met at his house for over an hour but with no results.
Pranab Mukherjee, said talks were inconclusive and that they would talk again. When, however, is yet to be fixed. The uncertainty means the two parties cannot announce their list of candidates and cannot begin campaign.
"We have discussed about the seat sharing. Discussion is inconclusive. We shall discuss it again," said Pranab Mukherjee, leader Congress.
Mamata left for home without saying a word, triggering speculation that the alliance may be in trouble. She is believed to be ready to give the Congress 65 out of 294 seats but the Congress wants more or at least some substantially winnable ones.
The Left released its list on Sunday.
Some Congress leaders insisted there was no problem.
"So far I understand, the discussion is on, the process of alignment is on and we hope that whatever finality will be reached very soon," said Shukhendu Shekhar Roy, Congress.
After the seat tussle with DMK in Tamil Nadu in which Congress got the desired number it remains to be seen how the seat issue plays out in West Bengal.