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Congress sets up committee to discuss seat-sharing with INDIA bloc allies
The Congress on Tuesday formed a five-member National Alliance Committee of senior leaders to hold seat-sharing discussions with other constituents of the INDIA bloc ahead of the crucial general elections next summer.
The Congress on Tuesday formed a five-member National Alliance Committee of senior leaders to hold seat-sharing discussions with other constituents of the INDIA bloc ahead of the crucial general elections next summer.
The committee, headed by former Union minister Mukul Wasnik as its convener, also has former chief ministers Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel, and senior leaders Mohan Prakash and Salman Khurshid as its members.
“In the run-up to the General Elections-2024, Congress President has constituted an National Alliance Committee…with immediate effect,” a communique issued by party general secretary KC Venugopal said.
The announcement came minutes before the fourth meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) grouping in Delhi on Tuesday to send a positive signal to the allies.
The inclusion of five senior party leaders in the panel indicates they would be allowed free hand in negotiating seats with allies, a party functionary said. “They are also experienced enough to handle pressure from INDIA partners,” the functionary close to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge added, requesting anonymity.
The announcement also assumes significance as some of the 28-party INDIA partners had blamed the Congress for delay in the seat-sharing talks. Even as the alliance’s Mumbai meeting on September 1 had resolved to start the seat-sharing talks at the earliest, the Congress waited for the conclusion of the assembly elections in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Mizoram, results of which were announced on December 3.
In Rajasthan, a senior Congress said the appointment of former CM Ashok Gehlot in the committee was on the expected lines given his stature within the party, experience and connect with other parties. “Besides, he has always been in the party central leadership team whenever the Congress is not in power in the state, the leader from the desert state said, also declining to be named. “Gehlot has been in active politics for over 50 years and his acumen as political strategist are known to all.”
