Congress says talks with Trinamool 'on hold', Mamata reiterates vow to fight alone
The Trinamool supremo without naming any party or leader said that there were some who appeared only during elections like Cuckoos in spring.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge (ANI)
NEW DELHI: The rift between INDIA bloc ally partners --Trinamool Congress and Congress-- over a seat-sharing agreement in West Bengal continued to spill into the open on Wednesday as Mamata Banerjee reiterated her vow to fight alone in her state.
The Trinamool supremo without naming any party or leader said that there were some who appeared only during elections like Cuckoos in spring.
"I rarely come for politics but there are some parties which start chirping like cuckoos at the time of elections... Our fight with the BJP will continue. We will fight alone. If anyone can defeat BJP, it is Trinamool Congress," Mamata said, reiterating earlier remarks she made last week in Kolkata.
The comments from the West Bengal CM come even as Congress sources indicated that they were still attempting to get Mamata on board as a potential ally and that seat sharing talks in Bengal were only on hold.
"INDIA bloc seat sharing in West Bengal is on hold. TMC and Congress are considering the proposals. TMC is still a part of INDIA Alliance," the party's sources said.
Party leader Jairam Ramesh also sought to play down any rift between the Congress and the Trinamool.
"Till now things have not been finalised on our end. In an alliance, all members should speak in one voice. One-sided decisions cannot be taken... There are three parties in the INDIA alliance. If all these three want to fight separately, they should officially announce this. Till now we are considering that the INDIA alliance will fight together in West Bengal as well" Jairam Ramesh said.
Earlier Mamata Banerjee had virtually shut the door on the Congress by making it clear that the TMC would fight alone in Bengal.
"I had no discussions with the Congress party. I have always said that in Bengal, we will fight alone. I am not concerned about what will be done in the country but we are a secular party and in Bengal, we will alone defeat BJP," the West Bengal Chief Minister had said.
Meanwhile, Congress sources also said that a seat-sharing formula in Delhi between the party and AAP is being worked out on a 4-3 formula. Delhi sends seven parliamentarians to Lok Sabha.