New Delhi: Amid its friction with ally
Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC) has entered into
negotiations with NDA partner Janata Dal(United) for a
seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Assembly polls in
Uttar Pradesh but not much headway has been made so far.
The TMC, which is keen to expand its profile from a
regional party to a national one, is planning to contest at
least 200 seats in the 403-member UP Assembly.
"No agreement could be reached for seat sharing till
date. But we are still in discussion with JD-U," TMC leader
and Union Minister Sultan Ahmed said in New Delhi on Friday.
Responding to questions on the issue, he said TMC is not
averse to forging seat-sharing arrangement with any party
except BJP.
He made the remarks as he released the list of 37 party
candidates for UP polls here.
The development assumes significance as friction has been
witnessed in the relations between TMC and Congress recently
in West Bengal.
TMC reportedly wanted to contest the UP polls in alliance
with Congress but the proposal apparently did not work out.
JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav, who is also NDA Convenor, and
general secretary K C Tyagi confirmed talks between the two
parties.
"We have held preliminary discussions to trace possibility
of a seat-sharing between the two parties for UP polls," said
Tyagi, who along with Yadav, was engaged in the talks.
When asked whether the release of candidates's list by TMC
indicated that the talks had failed, he told PTI, "our doors
are open".
PTI
First Published: Friday, January 20, 2012, 17:39