BHUBANESWAR: Congress on Sunday finalised its action plan for campaigning for upcoming polls while launching seat-sharing discussions with like-minded parties during the two-day visit of Odisha in-charge Ajoy Kumar.
While talks with INDIA constituents, the CPM, CPI and JMM were formally launched on the day, it was decided that the joint campaigning with the parties will start from January 17. A three-member committee headed by OPCC president Sarat Pattanayak was also announced to start the seat sharing discussions with the allies.
Sources said talks with JMM was formally started separately on the day in the presence of party’s state president Anjali Soren. Negotiations with Left parties will start on January 10. Allotment of seats to INDIA constituents will be finalised in three rounds and submitted to the national leadership for clearance. However, both Congress and JMM have agreed the Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha seat will go to the latter while actual negotiations will be held for Assembly seats in the district.
Congress has also decided to start a 20-day long ‘Jana Sampark Bus Yatra’ in all the 147 Assembly constituencies of the state from January 20. OPCC president Sarat Pattanayak said senior leaders of the party will be part of the yatra. Similarly, the joint campaign with all the 17 INDIA constituents will be held at district headquarters.
Meanwhile, addressing mediapersons here, Kumar said BJD and BJP already have a tacit understanding for the 2024 elections. He said while BJP will be allowed to have more Lok Sabha seats in the state, the BJD will have a lions’ share of Assembly seats. The understanding between the BJD and BJP is “Aap Delhi mein khush raho, hum idhar khush hain (You remain happy at the Centre, we are happy here,” Kumar said.