Ajit Jogi to initiate seat-share talks with Mayawati

Bhopal: In a last ditch effort to prevent split in the Jogi-Mayawati alliance in Chhattisgarh, JCCJ on Saturday authorised its supremo Ajit Jogi to initiate talks with his counterpart in BSP on seat-sharing between the two parties in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The parliamentary bo-ard of Janata Congress Chhattisgarh Jogi (JCCJ) met in Raipur in Chhattisgarh in the afternoon and decided to authorise the party chief Mr Jogi to begin talks with BSP supremo Mayawati to extend the JCCJ-BSP alliance sea-led in the last year’s assembly polls in the state, to upcoming LS polls. “We are prepared to field our candidates in 11 LS seats in Chhatti-sgarh. But, we want the alliance to fight the elections together. We have authorised Mr Jogi to initiate talks with Ms Mayawati on seat sharing between the two parties in the upcoming LS polls in Chhattisgarh”, JCCJ spokesman Debabrat Singh said.

The BSP has already announced candidates for six LS constituencies in Chhattisgarh unilaterally, indicating a crack in the alliance.

Mr Jogi had earlier admitted that he was not taken into confidence by BSP leadership before announcing the party’s candidates for six LS seats. “As it is JCCJ has not much stake in LS polls. But, BSP has high stake in the general elections. I will speak to Behenji on forging alliance,” Mr Jogi had earlier said.

Sources said Ms Mayawati sent her representative to hold talks with Mr Jogi to strike a deal on seat sharing between the two parties.

Sources said BSP may leave some seats for JCCJ in Chhattisgarh to save the alliance.