By OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi, Oct. 13: The Congress has yet to begin seat-sharing talks with its allies for the Gujarat Assembly poll. While the newly constituted Pradesh Election Committee (PEC) will be meeting on Monday, it is unclear whether it will start to shortlist nominees. According to a section of the party, the PEC would adopt a resolution authorising Mrs Sonia Gandhi to select candidates.
The electoral battle in Gujarat has become important for the Sonia Gandhi-led party in the sense that it will decide two issues: whether or not anti-incumbency is still a factor there, and can the Congress contain the BJP on its own, or with allies, after coming to power at the Centre.
The Congress has finally decided to share seats with the NCP but its officials are not keen on it. "A discussion on seat-sharing with the NCP has not begun. The high command will have to take a decision (of how many seats it wants to leave for the Sharad Pawar-led party)," a state Congress official said on condition of anonymity.
Though Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is the Congress’ main target, it has not been able to exploit the dissent against him in the BJP and the Sangh Parivar, Congress insiders conceded.
In a related development, Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party has decided to field candidates in a bid to stop the BSP from winning political space in the state.
The Mayawati-led BSP is optimistic of opening its account in Gujarat after its victory in the UP poll where she had brought dalits and upper castes together. But in the last Gujarat Assembly elections she had campaigned for the BJP even after the communal violence.
According to reports, her party’s slogan for the Gujarat election is "Haathi nahin gajraj hain, Modi ke liye Yamraj hain".
Meanwhile, in Ahmedabad, LJP president Ram Vilas Paswan on Saturday said, "Our fight in Gujarat is against the BJP. So we are looking to forge an alliance with the Congress and strengthen secular forces in the state." We do not want the secular votes in Gujarat to get divided. So secular forces should align and fight the upcoming elections. If the Congress is willing to fight the elections with us, then we will be happy."
He added: "Last time, during the Lok Sabha elections, on a request from Sonia Gandhi I had come to Gujarat to campaign for the Congress. This time we wish to enter into an agreement (seat-sharing) with the Congress and fight the elections together."
