Trinamool says that a Left-Congress alliance will not affect Trinamool's electoral fortunes. They claim their numbers will increase.
Mamata Banerjee today said that the CPM and Congress were completely "unprincipled" for trying to form an alliance ahead of assembly elections in West Bengal.
At her fiery best during an address to party workers at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata on Friday, Ms Banerjee said, "The very CPM that used to call Rajiv Gandhi as Bofors Gandhi, and called Indira Gandhi a cruel woman, that CPM is now saying come and hold my hand. It is wrong. They are sacrificing principles. They are saying to us, what will happen to you if we form an alliance? Nothing will happen to us."
Her political rivals are crying foul and saying Ms Banerjee has held hands with both Congress and BJP in the past and switched allies at will, and that she has no right to lecture on principles.
"Mamata Banerjee has held the BJP's hand at least three different times. She stayed in the NDA government even after Godhra. How can she talk about principles," said state Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury.
Ms Banerjee mentioned the BJP only once in her speech today.
The CPM, whose state unit held and internal meeting today on poll strategy, said yes to alliance with the Congress. "People on the ground want an alliance. Let's not make another historic mistake," the CPM leaders reportedly said.
CPM's Sujan Chakraborty echoed Mr Chowdhury. "Talk of principles from her (Mamata Banerjee) is not acceptable," he said. Another member of the Congress, Om Prakash Mishra, said, "TMC and Mamata are a byproduct of opportunism. She has a history of cohabiting with BJP. There is no principle so far as Mamata Banerjee's politics is concerned. She is just worried about the impact of our alliance"
Trinamool says that a Left-Congress alliance will not affect the party's electoral fortunes. They claim their numbers will increase. But both the Left and the Congress say there is a strong sentiment against Trinamool on the ground. An alliance, the parties claim, will ensure anti-Trinamool votes are not split.