We are happy being alone: Trinamool Congress

TMC ruled out any alliance or electoral understanding with Congress

Trinamool Congress today ruled out any alliance or electoral understanding with Congress in West Bengal, saying the party would fight the upcoming Lok Sabha elections alone.

"I have no such report," said TMC leader Mukul Roy when asked whether his party would align with Congress in the general polls.

"We contested the municipal and panchayat elections alone. At that time, we had neither aligned with the Congress, nor did we have any understanding with the communal BJP," he said, adding, "we are happy being alone."

His statement came on a day when state Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury met Congress President Sonia and briefed her about the political situation in West Bengal.

Chowdhury is understood to have told Gandhi that the situation was not at all conducive for an alliance with the TMC and that the Congress would be weakened if that happens.

Earlier talking to reporters, Roy announced that Trinamool chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Anna Hazare would hold a public meeting in Ramlila Grounds here on March 12.

Banerjee would also hold a rally in Uttar Pradesh, the venue and dates for which would be finalised later, he said.

Trinamool Congress was also getting support from NGOs and civil society bodies, apart from All India Kisan Union, Jharkhand People's Party, Peace Party of Uttar Pradesh and the United Minority Front (UMF) of Assam led by Ghulam Osmani with whom "we will have an understanding" in the upcoming polls, Roy claimed.