PM's intervention ends stalemate in Bengal

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MAY 20. The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today stepped in to help resolve the differences between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Trinamool Congress over seat- sharing in the civic polls of Calcutta and other parts of West Bengal.

According to a formula, worked out after two rounds of talks between the leaders of the two parties, the BJP is to contest 23 of the 141 seats. ``Barring the details, the arrangement has been worked out,'' the BJP senior vice-president, Mr. Jana Krishnamurthi, said.

Last night the BJP State leaders - Mr. Rahul Sinha, Mr. P. D. Chitlangia, Mr. Shantilal Jain and others - arrived here and held talks with the Trinamool leadership till late into the night. The talks continued this afternoon when a telephonic conversation, between Mr. Vajpayee and the Trinamool chief, Ms. Mamata Banerjee, clinched the issue and the final go ahead was given.

The Prime Minister's involvement became clear when, around 4 p.m. this afternoon, the State BJP leaders arrived at the party headquarters with Mr. Sudhendra Kulkarni, an officer in the PMO. They went to see the party president, Mr. Kushabhau Thakre, along with Mr. Jana Krishnamurthi, where Mr. Thakre rubber stamped the arrangement.

The Prime Minister would not have intervened in the matter, but Ms. Banerjee had threatened to withdraw from the National Democratic Alliance to protest against the attitude of the West Bengal BJP unit.

Later Mr. Krishnamurthi announced formally,``by and large an agreement has been arrived at between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress Party who will contest the West Bengal civic polls together. The BJP will contest 23 seats, and the details are being worked out.''

Earlier, the Trinamool Congress had offered the BJP 19 seats against 45 demanded by the State leadership.

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