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 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reiterated that she won’t give even a single seat to the Congress party.
“We had given a proposal to the Congress party of two seats in Malda, but, they didn’t agree on that. Now, they won’t get even a single seat in the state,” said Mamata Banerjee.
Mamata spoke on how her good relationship with the Congress party deteriorated over time because of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
“CPM is the number one broker of BJP, I have suffered a lot of beatings from CPM and I will never forgive that. I had good contacts with Congress. Because of CPM, my relationship with the Congress party got spoiled.”
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.