Trinamool announces candidates list; Polls journey begun

Kolkata, Mar 18: Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress has, finally, announced its candidate list today (Friday, Mar 18). The move by Trinamool is believed as a crucial step by the party ahead of the West Bengal polls starting from Apr 18.

Sources reported that Trinamool has unilaterally declared its list of 228 candidates and allotted 64 seats to its ally Congress. The party also allotted two seats for its ally Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI).

Mamata claimed that her party made the final announcement after holding talks with Congress. "We will be happy if Congress fields its candidates in 64 seats. Else, we will put our own candidates there including those from the minority community," stated Banerjee.

Clarifying its stand, Trinamool urged Congress to take fibal decision on seat-sharing issue or "Else, we (Trinamool) will put our candidates which will include members from minority community on Monday (Mar 21)."

Expressing the needs over starting preparations for upcoming polls, Mamata claimed, "There is hardly any time left. We have to now go for affidavits and other poll formalities, We have to ensure that nomination forms reach our candidates in remote areas."

Mamata's party has taken the initial step when it became desperate to initiate its pre-polls preparation. Congress and Trinamool were facing logjam over seat-sharing issue as Congress was demanding more than 67 seats and Trinamool was inclined to give only 64.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Mamata Banerjee earlier met on Mar 15 but their meeting remained inconclusive. Trinamool, citing Congress' inaction over the issue, threatened Sonia Gandhi's party to declare the candidate list without Congress' consent.

OneIndia News