Grand alliance seat sharing to be finalised today; candidates screening still on

GUWAHATI: The Congress-led grand alliance of seven parties is likely to announce its seat sharing pattern by this evening.

This was hinted by All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge of Assam Jitendra Singh today.

Sources said, while the Congress is likely to contest from over 80 seats, the All India united Democratic Front (AIUDF) and the Bodoland People’s Front have been demanding about 15 and 12 seats respectively.

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He also said that the AICC appointed high powered screening committee, headed by former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, was still screening candidatures and might take one more day to finalise the list of candidates.

“The high powered screening committee is assessing the candidates in consultation with grassroots workers of every constituency and it might take the whole day and might even have to burn midnight oil tonight to finalise the list of candidates,” Singh told newspersons here today.

The screening committee has been holding screening meetings at two hotels in the city.

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“One thing is clear, the list will be finalised on the soil of Assam. It’s a matter of future of Assam. So, I repeat that there is no use for any leader to fly to Delhi to lobby for party ticket,” Singh added.

He also took a jibe at the BJP-AGP-UPPL alliance for holding their seat sharing and ticket allocation meetings at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi. “It’s learnt that some other parties are holding talks in New Delhi to decide seat sharing and ticket allocations. It’s a pity that Assam’s future is being decided in Delhi,” Singh said.