• Source:PTI
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The discord between TMC and Congress, both allies of the INDIA bloc, seems to deepen further as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday challenged the Congress to take on the BJP in the Hindi heartland states while doubting their ability to secure "even 40 seats" in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Mamata's remark comes after Rahul Gandhi expressed optimism about resolving the seat-sharing deadlock in the state.

Criticising Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra', which traversed through six districts of Bengal, the TMC supremo compared it to a "mere photo opportunity" for "migratory birds" aimed at dividing minority votes in the state.

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"I proposed that Congress contest 300 seats (across the country where BJP is the main opposition), but they refused to heed. Now, they've arrived in the state to stir up Muslim voters. I doubt whether they will secure even 40 seats if they contested 300," Banerjee said as quoted by news agency PTI.

Addressing a dharna in Kolkata to call for the Centre to release the state's outstanding debt, Banerjee reiterated her party's willingness to form an alliance with the Congress for the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal but emphasised that it was the Grand Old party which declined her offer.

"We were open to an alliance, offering them two seats, which they rejected. Now let them contest in all 42 seats alone. Since then, there has been no dialogue between us. We will fight alone and defeat the BJP in Bengal," she added.

When asked why Mamata Banerjee was being given priority by the Congress even though she refused to give the party a single Lok Sabha seat in the state, Congress Wayanad MP said "Neither Mamata-ji has said, nor the Congress has come out of the alliance (sic)."

Despite Congress's attempts to reconcile with the TMC a deadlock over seat-sharing in West Bengal, Banerjee remained steadfast in her refusal to allocate seats to the grand old party. The TMC boss challenged Congress to take on the BJP and defeat it in states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh.

"If you have the courage, defeat the BJP in UP, Banaras, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh. Where were you (Congress) when Manipur was burning? We had sent a team," she said as quoted by PTI.