Former Union minister Salman Khurshid, a member of the Congress Working Committee, is also a part of the national alliance committee for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, in an interview, said that seat-sharing talks in Punjab won’t start anytime soon and that the party will first focus on low-hanging fruits. Edited excerpts:

Also read: Seat talks with allies ‘without delay’: Congress

When will you start the seat discussions with INDIA partners?

We will begin the seat talks on Sunday. We are scheduling meetings with either the leadership of those parties or whoever they nominate; we will start talks with them from January 7. As and when people keep giving us schedules and dates, we will accommodate them. And that beginning will give us an idea as to what their expectations may be. Our own party leadership has told us what the Congress expects from the alliance. So, whether they match or not, or where we need to negotiate—all that will become apparent when we meet the other side.

Which parties are you meeting on Sunday?

We are starting from Delhi. So, we are starting with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi. On the same day, we’ve also scheduled a meeting with the Janata Dal (United). Others will come as and when they find it convenient. We will meet them whenever they want to meet us. We are ready for talks and we have accorded it the highest priority.

In Punjab, your party leadership has argued that if the Congress joins hands with the AAP, its votes will shift to the BJP and Akali Dal. Will you still have a seat pact in Punjab?

This is a point of view of some of our leaders in Punjab but we have not talked to our party leadership in Punjab. We were advised to let it be for a while and deal with the low-hanging fruits wherever we can. There are some difficulties in Punjab and that we will take up in due course when the indication comes from the Congress leadership.

The Trinamool Congress has said seat adjustments should happen on four principles — Lok Sabha strength, assembly seats won, a mix of both Lok Sabha and assembly strength, and a veto for the dominant partner . Are you comfortable with this?

Indeed, some principles will be there for seat adjustment. But these wider principles can only be decided by our top leadership. Only then, we can act upon it. We can’t take these decisions our own. But within what our understanding is at present, we will seek understanding from the other side. And then see what we need to do so we may need to refer matters back to the Congress leadership in order to take it forward wherever there isn’t a mismatch. Wherever there is convergence, then we will report that convergence again to our leadership.

What will be the Congress’s approach? What is the formula in mind in states such as, say, Bengal or Delhi?

Look, the formula will vary from state to state because the ground conditions are different everywhere. We can’t speak for the other parties. They must have this in their mind as well. But the most important thing we have to keep in mind is that there is life beyond 2024. 2024 is an important cut-off point, but we are not closing shop in 2024. We hope to form a government along with all these colleagues of ours. But the party needs to carry on. Every party needs to carry on.

What is the minimum requirement?

Both in terms of substance and terms of perception , (one) that allows viability of the party. Of course, if we come into government together, it will add to the viability of all parties. But, assuming that we don’t form the government, but we do an alliance, how do we sustain viability that will remain a concern, but it will depend from state to state. You can’t have a one-size-fits-all.

In Delhi and Bengal, you have only two MPs and zero MLAs. What will be the basis of discussion in these two states?

Let’s first have a response from the other side. Delhi is unique as neither the Congress nor the AAP have an MP. But they (AAP) have a government here. Also, we have just seven seats in Delhi. Now let’s see what they suggest, how they come forward and how we can respond.

When will you start talks in Uttar Pradesh?

It will take some time. We have a new general secretary in UP and we have to allow him to settle down. We have to do more homework before we can approach the Samajwadi Party.