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Cong panel holds talks with state units on INDIA poll pacts for 2024
During the internal discussions, the quality of seats, the current political situation, the depleted strength of allies in some areas were among the issues that had come up
The Congress’ five-member national alliance committee led by Mukul Wasnik has concluded talks with nearly all state units barring Punjab for possible poll pacts in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. While there are varying degrees of reluctance to alliance in many states, the local units largely see seat adjustments as the best option for the party, Congress leaders indicated.
During the internal discussions, the quality of seats, the current political situation, the depleted strength of allies in some areas, the heightened pitch of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s mixing of religion with politics after the inauguration of the Ram temple on January 22 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ground situation and the realistic possibility of vote transfer if rivals work together were among the issues that had come up, they said, seeking anonymity.
The panel is ready to share its inputs with the Congress high command on the prospects of alliance in different states, a member said. The high command is likely to hold discussions with alliance committee in the next 2-3 days. Discussions with allies over seats will start after that.
The other panel members include former Union minister Salman Khurshid, two former chief ministers Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel and party veteran Mohan Prakash.
“Before talking to allies, we had to first discuss with our own state units. We spoke to them to know their demand, their issues and their stand on alliance,” party functionary said. “We can say that we have more or less completed our discussions and ready to brief the party high command.”
The Delhi unit is more flexible on an alliance with Aam Aadmi Party than its Punjab counterparts, another congress leader said. “We are yet to meet the Punjab leaders as many of them are out of station. But the initial feedback we received was not as encouraging as in Delhi,” said the leader, who is also a member of the alliance committee.
In Delhi, discussions between state leaders and the panel focussed on a number of factors, including a possible 4-3 share of the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital. “While it is important that we get the seventh seat in a 4-3 seat share formula, the other factors will obviously be the specific seats that we want,” another leader said.
“Our leaders want more seats along the Haryana border, as we have a strong organization in the neighbouring state,” said the first leader cited earlier. “Some of the leaders also said that we have to be careful in picking seats along the Uttar Pradesh border after the inauguration of Ram mandir in Ayodhya.”
Discussions on West Bengal saw a higher degree of resistance vis-à-vis the ruling Trinamool Congress party. State Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a fierce critic of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, told the panel that he has “personal issues,” but he will accept any decision of the party.
“Bengal issue is more complicated. Our workers are at the receiving end of Trinamool’s atrocities for the past 10 years. Many leaders pointed out at the violence inflicted upon Congress workers by the Trinamool regime. So, apart from the choice of seats, the key issue there is how Trinamool can work together,” said the second leader.
Punjab leaders of the party have expressed resentment against any understanding with the AAP. In the last assembly polls, the party faced a humiliating defeat and bagged only 18 seats. The AAP got 92 of the 117 seats and replaced the Congress government.
“We are fighting against the AAP in Punjab. We are the principal opposition party in the state,” a Punjab congress leader said. “If we enter into any pact with the AAP, our voters with shift to the Akali Dal and the BJP.”
During the congress working committee meeting in Hyderabad, similar concerns were raised by Partap Singh Bajwa, legislative party chief in Punjab. Kharge cut him short and said the extended meeting was not the right forum to discuss state alliances.
The Congress unit in Maharashtra, another party leader said, had pointed out that both its allies, the Nationalist Congress Party and Shiv Sena, have depleted in strength in the legislature as well as organizationally. While Eknath Shinde broke away with 40 MLA in the Maharashtra assembly and with 13 Lok Sabha MPs, Ajit Pawar split Sharad Pawar’s NCP and took away 41 MLAs.
“Even as we have an existing alliance with Sharad Pawar’s NCP and Uddhav Thackarey’s Shiv Sena, our Maharashtra unit leaders maintained that our negotiations in the state would be on the basis of the prevailing strength of the allies,” said a third Congress leader.
After discussions with the alliance panel, Kharge might ask it to start talks with allies, many of whom have demanded that the seat discussions must be completed by January.
