TMC to join Rahul Gandhi's Yatra only if Congress seals seat sharing pact: Report

There is uncertainty surrounding the participation of West Bengal's ruling party, Trinamool Congress (TMC), in the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra led by former Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi. In signs of discord within the INDIA bloc, the TMC has explicitly stated that it will refrain from joining the Nyaya Yatra until a seat-sharing agreement is reached in West Bengal with the Congress and other opposition parties within the alliance.

According to a report in the English newspaper The Hindu, a senior TMC leader emphasized that Congress must first clarify the seat-sharing scenario in Bengal before the party leaders can engage in the Nyaya Yatra upon its arrival in the state. It is rumoured that the TMC has proposed offering the Congress party only two seats in Bengal during the INDIA meeting held on December 19. These seats are reportedly the ones Congress had won in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Rahul Gandhi, leading the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra initiated from Manipur in the North East on January 14, plans to enter West Bengal on January 27, where the yatra will extend for five days. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has appealed to all parties in the India alliance, urging them to join the yatra.

Responding to queries about seat sharing in Bengal and other states, Rahul Gandhi mentioned that ongoing discussions are progressing well, and a resolution is anticipated. He stated, "The talks are going very well. Let's see where the matter reaches. I am absolutely sure that we will resolve this issue."

In the 2019 elections, TMC secured victory in 22 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats, while Congress won two seats. The BJP won 18 seats. The recent verbal sparring between TMC and Congress revolves around seat allocations, with Congress seeking to contest on at least six seats, while TMC insists on granting only those seats previously won by Congress. Discussions are ongoing between leaders of both parties in hopes of finding a resolution to the matter.

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