Didi's 24-hr ultimatum to Congress

Mamata’s decision to allow  the ‘big brother’  another day to clinch the seat sharing deal came on the heels of Sonia reportedly calling up Mukherjee from London during the day.  She was understood to have conveyed to Mukherjee the need for striking a deal with Banerjee.

Besides, it could as well disturb the balance of the UPA government where the Trinamool is a major partner, sources said. There is a strong likelihood of the finance minister flying down to the city on Friday for urgent talks with Mamata and convey her the ‘desire’  of the AICC supremo.

According to Mamata aides, though Mukherjee flies down to the city, he will have to dish out a solution to the point where the talks got jammed on Wednesday. “The Congress will have to re-define the meaning of quality seats. If they (Cong) stick to the demand of quality seats in South Bengal and in turn, offer vulnerable seats to Trinamool in North Bengal, talks will not make an inch of progress even on Friday,” they observed.

Mamata set an ultimatum on Wednesday before the Congress that the latter would have come up with its formula to clinch the deal, failing which the Trinamool would unilaterally declare its list of candidates. Both the parties have, in fact, kept their ‘Plan B’ ready.