'Congress tie up with TMC desperate attempt to stay relevant'

TMC leaders today described the bid by Congress and the Left to forge an alliance for the upcoming assembly polls as "a desperate attempt" by them to remain relevant in state politics.

Their comments came after West Bengal Congress leaders yesterday conveyed to party vice president Rahul Gandhi the "sentiments of grassroots workers" seeking an alliance with the Left though they remained divided on the idea.

"It's a desperate attempt (to form an alliance) to remain relevant in state politics," a senior TMC leader said on the condition of anonymity.

"I am from a Congress family and I know if there is an alliance between Congress and the Left, TMC will get most of the Congress votes. The congressmen who have fought against the Left and suffered atrocities at their hands will never vote for the Left in case of a Congress-Left tie up," he 'said.

Another TMC leader and state Food Supplies Minister Jyotipriyo Mullick said, "If there is an alliance between Congress and the Left, they would fail to even touch double digits in terms of seats. TMC will win with a much bigger majority."

TMC, however, did not give any official reaction on the speculation of a tie up between Congress and the left.

"We don't want to comment on any other party's matters," TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee had yesterday said.

The state Congress leaders during their meeting with Gandhi yesterday remained divided on a tie-up with the Left but unanimously rejected the idea of any alliance with TMC.

State Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had said the party leaders were totally against having any truck with Trinamool Congress and most of them pitched for a tie-up with the Left.