Jagran State Bureau, Kolkata | Akhruzzaman, a leader of the Democratic Trinamool Congress (DTC) and member of Ritabrata Banerjee's camp, said on Friday that his party is ready to join the Congress-led INDIA bloc if it ousts former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee from the Opposition coalition.

His statement comes as the INDIA bloc sees a revival over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

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Akhruzzaman questioned Mamata's protest against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying she had a history of supporting the BJP when the saffron party falls into trouble. He claimed that Mamata is currently part of the INDIA alliance because she is right now isolated, and she could support the BJP-led NDA again if the need arises.

Mamata Banerjee's Faction Hits Back At Akhruzzaman

Kunal Ghosh, a member of Mamata's camp, dismissed Akhruzzaman's claim, saying she fought against the BJP, allowing her supporters, including Akhruzzaman, to become MLAs. He described the Ritabrata faction as "BJP-backed opponents", saying that this has already been proven.

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Ritabrata Says Rebel TMC Faction No BJP 'B Team'

Earlier on Thursday, rebel TMC leader Ritabrata asserted that his faction is not a "B team" of the BJP. He stood by fellow rebel Anubrata Mondal following an attack on him at a party office in West Bengal's Birbhum district, asserting that the incident exposed the hollowness of allegations that their faction was the BJP's "B team".

He met Mondal at a party office in Bolpur, a day after a group of youths allegedly heckled the veteran leader, threatened him and vandalised the party office where he was present.

"Attacks cannot keep Mondal away. He will return to the Siuri party office on October 9, a day before Mahalaya. Nobody can stop him," Ritabrata said.

He said the attack itself showed that the rebel TMC faction was being targeted and questioned the allegation that it was acting at the behest of the BJP.

"We are being selectively attacked, while it is being spread that we are the BJP's B team. This argument does not hold. We are the ones who are repeatedly being attacked," Banerjee claimed. He warned that any further attacks would invite a stronger political response.

(With Jagran.com/PTI inputs)