Impasse ends; Mamata leaves 65 seats for Congress

The impasse between the Trinamool Congress and the Congress ended on Monday after the former agreed to grant 65 seats to its ally.

According to party sources, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee spoke to Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee on Monday afternoon and made her agree to part with one more seat apart from the 64 that she set aside on Friday. The 65th seat granted to the Congress will be within 100 km of Kolkata.

Mamata had kept a deadline of 4 pm on Monday for the Congress to take a call.

The Congress initially was aspiring for a contest in 90 seats in West Bengal. However, it seems the party decided to settle for a compromise to keep the alliance alive.

On Monday afternoon, after long parleys at 10, Janpath (official residence of Sonia Gandhi), Congress head honchos put forth a demand to Banerjee's

team to add one more seat for the Congress. 

According to sources, TMC responded positively to Congress overtures.

The first phase of voting in the state will take place on April 18, second phase on April 23, third phase on April 27, fourth phase on May 3, fifth phase on May 7 and sixth phase on May 10.

Official announcements by both the allies are expected around 4 pm.

Congress ties with the Trinamool Congress received a severe jolt last Wednesday as the two parties could not agree on seat-sharing. 

Congress asked Trinamool to wait for United Progressive Alliance and Sonia's return to New Delhi from London on Monday, but Mamata said she could not wait for so long.

On Friday last, tension had ensued between the two allies after Mamata unilaterally announced candidates 228 seats leaving aside 64 seats for Congress.