Without Mamata, no one can imagine INDIA bloc: Congress

Bongaigaon (Assam), Jan 24 (PTI) The Congress on Wednesday said no one can imagine the existence of the opposition INDIA bloc without West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.

The Congress statement comes immediately after Banerjee announced that her party Trinamool Congress has decided to go alone in the state in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing a press conference at North Salmara in Assam as part of the party's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra', Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said that the Trinamool Congress is an "important pillar" of the opposition alliance.

"We cannot imagine the INDIA alliance without Mamata ji. The INDIA bloc will fight the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal and all (partners) will participate," he said.

"Banerjee said that defeating BJP is the priority and prime responsibility of all of us. With this sentiment, our 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' will enter West Bengal tomorrow," Ramesh said when asked about the TMC supremo's statement regarding the seat-sharing talks.

The TMC supremo had on Tuesday criticised the Congress for causing a delay in discussions for seat-sharing in West Bengal, citing "unjustified" demand for 10-12 Lok Sabha constituencies when her party was willing to share only two.

Ramesh said, "Mamata Banerjee's full statement was that we want to defeat BJP and will take all possible steps for it. During a long journey, we get speed breakers and red lights. It does not mean that we will push back the journey. The journey crosses the speed breaker and the red light turns green." Citing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he asserted that the TMC and especially Banerjee, who is a leader of West Bengal and India, are "very important pillars of the INDIA alliance".

Ramesh also claimed that seat-sharing talks are "going on" with the TMC for West Bengal" and a solution to the stalemate will be found soon.

"We hope that the talks, which are going on, will find some middle path and the INDIA alliance will fight Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal and all partners will cooperate," he added.

Banerjee, however, asserted that she has not spoken to anyone in the Congress on the seat-sharing issue.

Talking about Banerjee's statement that she was not invited to participate in the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' when it will enter West Bengal, Ramesh said Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and the party's West Bengal in-charge have spoken to her.

"I know that Kharge ji has mentioned 3-4 times in his speech that all INDIA partners are invited to join the Yatra and invitations were sent to all parties. I don't know in what reference she said like this," he added. PTI