TMC maintaining silence on Rafale deal, CBI row: Cong

West Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra on Tuesday alleged that the TMC has been "maintaining silence" on issues like Rafale deal and the CBI power struggle, a charge denied by the state's ruling party.

The grand old party has been holding protest rallies across the country to attack the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre over the fighter jet deal and the fiasco within the central probe agency.

Mitra urged the TMC to "clear its stand" on whether it wishes to fight the saffron party in the next Lok Sabha polls.

"When the Congress recently organized a rally of opposition parties to protest against the Centre's move to send CBI director Alok Verma on leave and the Rafale jet row, prominent leaders had attended the meeting, but the TMC just sent a Rajya Sabha MP, for the sake of attendance," he said.

The entire country "raised their voice against the Rafale scam", but the TMC did not make much of an effort to join the protest, the state Congress chief claimed.

"Is this is a joke? Are they even serious about fighting the BJP? They should clear the air on whether they are serious about fighting the saffron party," he added.

Countering his charges, senior TMC leader Partha Chatterjee said his party doesn't need any "certificate" from others on its political stance.

"We don't need any certificate from others in our fight against the BJP. The people of this state and country know that we are constantly fighting against the policies of BJP," he said.

The state Congress unit on Tuesday began a two-day brain-storming session here to discuss various organisational and strategic issues.

Senior Congress leader and observer-in charge of Bengal, Gaurav Gogoi, also attended the meet.

The party has decided to organise a rally against the policies of the BJP government at the Centre and the TMC rule in the state on December 12 at Rani Rashmoni area of Kolkata.

Mitra acknowledged that the Congress in Bengal doesn't have the strength to organize a public meeting on Brigade Parade Ground, but vowed to try its best to conduct a massive rally at Rani Rashmoni area next month.