Congress Struggles in Seat-Sharing Negotiations with INDIA Bloc Allies

The party faces resistance in key states as it aims to finalize electoral alliances ahead of the general election.

The Congress party is negotiating seat-sharing deals with various allies within the INDIA bloc for the upcoming general election, aiming to finalize agreements in key states like West Bengal and Maharashtra.
In West Bengal, the Congress seeks five Lok Sabha seats but faces resistance from the Trinamool Congress, which is unwilling to offer more than two seats, citing the Congress's poor electoral performance in recent elections.
Rahul Gandhi's outreach efforts include a one-hour phone call with Uddhav Thackeray to resolve a deadlock over Maharashtra seat-sharing, with the Congress and its allies agreeing on 39 of the state's 48 seats.
The Congress has successfully sealed seat-sharing deals with the Samajwadi Party for 17 seats in Uttar Pradesh and with the Aam Aadmi Party for three seats in Delhi, among other agreements.
The seat-sharing negotiations highlight the challenges the Congress faces in balancing its aspirations with the realities of its electoral performance and the demands of its allies.