More space for INDIA allies, Congress to focus on 255 seats in Lok Sabha

In a significant political move, hinting at giving more concessions to INDIA block parties, Congress has opted to streamline its participation plans by concentrating on just 255 out of the 543 parliamentary seats, reported the Indian Express.

This signals a potential willingness to reduce the number of contested seats compared to the 2019 national elections and aligns with the party's commitment to engage in seat-sharing discussions with INDIA partners.

This came after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leader Rahul Gandhi, and AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal held discussions with members of the party's five-member national alliance committee. This committee, after extensive consultations with state units, submitted its report, obtaining approval to initiate talks with constituents of the INDIA bloc.

Sources said Congress has decided to hold talks with INDIA parties on a state-to-state basis which means Congress would hold talks with the AAP in Delhi and Punjab separately.

“The same will apply with the Left as also other parties which would want to contest in more than one state under the banner of INDIA alliance,” reads the report.

During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the party participated in contests across 421 seats and secured victory in 52. The party formed alliances in several states, collaborating with the RJD in Bihar, NCP in Maharashtra, JD(S) in Karnataka, JMM in Jharkhand, and the DMK in Tamil Nadu.

Specifically, the party contested in merely nine out of the 40 seats in Bihar, seven out of the 14 seats in Jharkhand, 21 out of the 28 seats in Karnataka, 25 out of the 48 seats in Maharashtra, and nine out of the 39 seats in Tamil Nadu. In Uttar Pradesh, the party engaged in contests across 70 out of the total 80 seats.

The Congress, sources said, would now contact alliance partners for talks on seat sharing but said it has not set a deadline for completion of the exercise.

“I will not be in a position to say how we are going to deal with each of the political parties in the alliance. We are going to seek their convenience as and when they are available…” Mukul Wasnik said Thursday, 4 January.

Meanwhile, the manifesto committee of the Congress party has held its first meeting on 4 January and discussed various points to be included in the document.

"This was the first meeting of the manifesto committee. It was an exchange of preliminary thoughts and ideas, and how we proceed with the drafting of the manifesto. The next meeting will take place next week," panel chairperson P Chidambaram said Thursday after the meeting.

Besides Chidambaram, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and former deputy chief minister of Chhattisgarh T.S. Singh Deo are part of the committee.

Singh Deo is the convener of the committee. Senior party leaders Anand Sharma, Jairam Ramesh, Shashi Tharoor, Ranjeet Ranjan, Gaurav Gogoi, K Raju and Gaikhangam—also part of the committee—have attended the meeting.