• Source:PTI
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Amid ongoing discord within the INDIA bloc, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Thursday said Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is the reason for an alliance not working out between the two parties in West Bengal. This comes a day after TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee announced that her party will fight the Lok Sabha polls alone in the state.

Blaming Chowdhury for an unsuccessful alliance, O'Brien said his party will be part of the bloc if Congress defeats the BJP on a substantial number of seats in the upcoming general elections. "After the general elections, if the Congress does its job and defeats the BJP on a substantial number of seats, the Trinamool Congress will very much be a part of the front that believes and fights for the Constitution," he said as quoted by news agency ANI.

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Mamata's surprise move stunned Congress as the party's senior leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury made an aggressive statement, calling the TMC chief an "opportunist". Adding, the leader said he doesn't care about anyone, whoever is contesting the Lok Sabha Election in West Bengal as he very well knows how to fight and win.

Chowdhury went on further saying in the 2011 elections, Mamata Banerjee came to power with the mercy of Congress. "This time, the elections will not be fought at the mercy of Mamata Banerjee. The Congress defeated the BJP and TMC in the two seats that Mamata Banerjee is leaving. The Congress party knows how to contest the elections. Mamta Banerjee is an opportunist; she came to power in 2011, with the mercy of Congress," the Congress MP said as quoted by ANI.

While Chowdhury turned salty, party's general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "No one can imagine the existence of the opposition INDIA bloc without West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee."

(With Agencies Inputs)