Bengal Assembly Polls 2011: Mamata Unilaterally Declares List of TMC Candidates

After a nerve wrecking failed negotiations with Indian National Congress (INC), Mamata Banerjee, the Trinomul Congress (TMC) supreme leader declared her list of the TMC candidates in 228 constituencies on Friday evening (18^th March’2011) leaving 64 for the INC and two for other alliance partners. She did not allot any of the 11 seats to INC in Calcutta.

She also declared that if by Monday the INC does not accept her formula of seat sharing, she would be bound to declare rest of the 64 candidates from her party.

However in spite of her unilateral declaration, no body expects that the INC-TMC pre-poll alliance will fall through, and in the rare case if it at all happens, a post-poll alliance may also take place if the total seat won by INC and TMC adds up to a working majority in the assembly.

In the event, the pre-poll alliance fall through, the left front would be at a slight advantage and vice versa if the pre-poll alliance comes alive. Mamata has said on Friday that her party would win.

Meanwhile INC leaders have desisted from making any statement, post declaration by Mamata. It is learnt that INC high command at Delhi is busy with the assessment of winnable seats in the 64 allowed for INC. Should such seats are perceived to be about 40, the offer may be accepted by INC although one Calcutta seat is still a bone of contention between the warring parties.

However a final picture would emerge after Sonia Gandhi arrives from abroad on Sunday.