Mumbai: The stalemate between the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) over a 50:50 seat-sharing formula for the Lok Sabha elections continues.

Senior leaders said it would take another two rounds of talks, at least, to sort out the differences. Besides, how soon other smaller parties take part in the negotiation will play a pivotal role.

The speculation of the Congress conceding more than 50% of the seats gained traction following the meeting of NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Rahul Gandhi last week.

“The two leaders have met and I am sure they will consider the sentiments of party workers. We are hopeful smaller parties join in soon in the negotiation,” NCP leader Nawab Malik told The Hindu.

The Congress has been reiterating its desire to not concede equal number of seats to the NCP. The two parties went separate ways in the 2014 Assembly elections, while the NCP had in 2009 contested 21 seats and won just four.

“Our focus right now is improving the party base. We are still two to three meetings away from deciding on a seat-sharing formula. This might take time till November-end,” former State Congress chief Manikrao Thakre told The Hindu.

Mr. Thakre said the two parties’ delegations have been holding talks for the last few months but have not reached a conclusion. “We had contested 27 seats in previous elections. It is unlikely we will concede to a 50:50 formula,” he said. The Congress had won two of the contested 27 seats in 2009.

Sources in the party said until smaller parties are accommodated by each, a seat-sharing formula cannot be arrived at. The parties likely to join the Congress/NCP include Bahujan Vikas Aghadi and Swabhimani Paksha. “These parties will seal the fate of the formula, depending on who accommodates whom,” Mr. Malik said.