TMC leader Derek O'Brien restated the party's commitment to contesting independently in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, amid reports of ongoing discussions between TMC and Congress regarding seat-sharing arrangements. O'Brien said that there has been ‘no change’ in the party's stand of contesting all 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, a few in Assam and one seat in Meghalaya. The statement follows recent discussions between the two parties, indicating a potential shift in the dynamics of West Bengal politics ahead of the polls.
Earlier, the Congress party had announced a resurgence in seat-sharing negotiations with TMC, signaling a possible recalibration in their electoral strategies in the region. Congress party has recently solidified alliances in other regions, including Uttar Pradesh, where it will contest 17 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats in alliance with the Samajwadi Party. Additionally, Congress is engaged in discussions with its allies in Maharashtra to finalize seat allocations. Meanwhile, in Delhi, Congress is slated to contest three out of seven Lok Sabha seats, with AAP contesting the remaining four seats. These developments underscore the intricate landscape of pre-election negotiations shaping the contours of the upcoming parliamentary elections.