TMC very much part of INDIA bloc at national level: Party leader

Kolkata, Jan 27 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress on Saturday asserted that its leader, Mamata Banerjee, has never indicated a departure from the opposition bloc INDIA at the national level, despite recent announcements of the party's decision to contest the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal alone.

On the ongoing speculation surrounding TMC's stance within the opposition front, spokesperson Kunal Ghosh emphasised that Banerjee only advocated the party's solo participation in the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal owing to "unreasonable demands" from the Congress.

"Mamata Banerjee has never said that we are not part of the opposition bloc in India. The name 'INDIA' for the opposition front was coined by our party supremo herself. We have only stated our intention to contest alone in Bengal due to unjustified demands from the Congress and utterances of its state president Adhir Chowdhury," Ghosh stated.

This clarification comes amid the backdrop of an impasse over seat-sharing between TMC and Congress, with Banerjee's recent announcement of TMC's decision to go solo in Bengal.

In response, the Congress adopted a conciliatory tone, acknowledging Banerjee's significance within the opposition alliance INDIA, and expressing optimism about resolving the seat-sharing deadlock.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, on Thursday, expressed hope for a solution to the impasse.

Banerjee, while affirming TMC's commitment to the opposition alliance on Wednesday, clarified that the party would remain a part of the 'INDIA' bloc at the national level, indicating that strategic decisions would follow post-elections. PTI