Mamata Banerjee reduced Congress, Left to zero in WB; will inflict same on BJP in LS polls: TMC

New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress said Tuesday the Congress being the biggest party in the INDIA bloc has more responsibility and should have left the seat-sharing issues related to West Bengal to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, reiterating the regional party will fight on all the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. "If Mamata Banerjee can reduce the Congress and the Left to zero (in assembly polls), it can also reduce the BJP to zero (in Lok Sabha elections)," TMC leader Sudip Bandhopadhyay told reporters, following an all-party meeting ahead of the Budget session.

"If the Congress wants to do something in Bengal, it should leave the matter to Mamata Banerjee," he said.

The Congress is the biggest party in the INDIA bloc and has the most responsibility, he said, adding his party remains a member of the alliance.


Airing the regional party's grievances with the Congress over the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and seat-sharing talks, he said had the main opposition party informed the TMC about the Yatra in advance Banerjee could have joined it.

He suggested the Congress' invitation to its main leader to attend the yatra came when it was too late.

"We never received an invite from Rahul Gandhi. We received an invite from the party yesterday. What is the point of it when the Yatra has already begun," he said.

The yatra is reentering Bengal on Wednesday.

Bandhopadhyay also asserted the exit of Janata Dal (U) president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar from the alliance is not a setback.