West Bengal elections 2021: Cong-Left set to begin seat sharing talks

Kolkata, Jan 05: The Congress on Monday set up a panel headed by senior party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to hold talks with the Left parties regarding seat sharing and joint programmes for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls.

The committee has Congress state president Chowdhury, Congress Legislature Party leader Abdul Mannan, former state chief Pradeep Bhattacharya and Nepal Mahato.

"The committee will hold talks with the Left parties regarding seat sharing and joint programmes for the West Bengal polls," a statement from Congress'' state in-charge Jitin Prasada said.

The Congress last month formally approved its electoral alliance with the Left parties for the assembly elections in West Bengal.

The West Bengal PCC had earlier recommended an alliance in favour of the Left parties. The Left parties had also favoured an alliance with the Congress for the state elections.

The Left and the Congress did not contest the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal together.

The two parties are also pitted against each other in Kerala.

The West Bengal assembly elections are due by March-April next year.