TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee Saturday slammed the Centre for sending central teams to West Bengal and said attempts are on to malign the state government as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had not bowed down to it.

The cadres of the CPI(M)-led Left Front have also joined hands with the saffron camp, he said hitting out at the BJP.

"The Centre has stopped funds due to the state, but is very prompt in sending central teams to the state to malign the state government. As Mamata Banerjee has not bowed down to the Centre, it is using these theatrics to malign us.

"We bow only before the masses and not the masters of Delhi," he said at a public rally.

Accusing the Left and the saffron party of forging a "tacit alliance" in the state, Banerjee said, "Now, the CPI(M) and the BJP have become one in the state."

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