Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee attributed the differences within the opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) in West Bengal to the Congress party's failure to finalise seat-sharing arrangements, as stated on Monday. Banerjee said that despite repeated reminders spanning the last eight months, the Congress remained inactive in concluding the seat-sharing agreement.
The TMC national general secretary slammed West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for aligning with the saffron camp and consistently criticising the TMC government in West Bengal, despite being a national-level ally.
"According to alliance norms, the first thing you do is seal the seat-sharing. We had waited for eight months to finalise the seat-sharing issue. But the Congress was sitting idle, and nothing moved forward," he told reporters in Bengal's Diamond Harbour.
TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had announced last week that the party would contest the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal independently.
The Diamond Harbour MP, also the nephew of Mamata Banerjee, criticised Chowdhury for "demanding President's Rule in the state," echoing the BJP's demands.
"By demanding President's Rule, whose interest is the state Congress president trying to serve — the TMC, the Congress, or the BJP? There is a limit to our patience," he remarked.
The TMC leader reiterated that the "party continues to be a part of the opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A at the national level".
TMC State General Secretary Kunal Ghosh, speaking to news agency ANI, further said, "The final decision on seat-sharing rests with CM Mamata Banerjee. However, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's consistent efforts to tarnish our party and government's image indicate his alignment with the BJP's interests. Leaders in Delhi should take note of this. After 34 years, CPI has become insignificant in Bengal. Congress should acknowledge the ground reality of the state".