Congress hopes to clear blocks for I.N.D.I.A seat-sharing by third week of January

New Delhi: The Congress is expecting to finalise the seat-sharing formula of the I.N.D.I.A bloc by the third week of this month even as the opposition grouping has missed the December 31 deadline proposed by the Trinamool Congress to conclude the exercise.

The National Alliance Committee of the grand old party, which concluded discussions with its state units, has submitted its report to party chief Mallikarjun Kharge outlining the party’s prospects in states where it is not in the driving seat.

Rahul Gandhi, who told a Congress meeting on Thursday that I.N.D.I.A stood a chance to win if all allies worked together, was also present when the committee held discussions with Kharge.

The issue of declaring a prime ministerial face is creating trouble in the group with Trinamool sources indicating their disapproval of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is speculated to become the I.N.D.I.A convenor, becoming the PM face saying the convenor does not automatically become the prime ministerial face.

Sources said the bloc is also witnessing unease over seat sharing in states like Maharashtra and West Bengal where allies are at each other’s throats. There have been public spats between leaders in these states.

The alliance partners will have to either make the 2019 Lok Sabha results as the base for seat-sharing discussions or the last Assembly election in a particular state.

Trinamool sources said though they feel that a lot of time is lost, and deadline missed, they are not going to rock the boat. However, they said they could not be part of any joint programme till the seat sharing is concluded, as it serves no purpose.

Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee had suggested Kharge as a possible prime ministerial face or convenor of the bloc. Supporting the West Bengal CM argument, sources said, AAP supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that Kharge’s candidature would have a direct impact on at least 58 seats.

Amid speculation about the bloc naming Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as convenor, Trinamool sources said they were not aware of any other name for the post.

“Whoever becomes convenor, it is not essential that they become the prime ministerial face,” a senior leader said.