West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused the Congress of teaming up with the CPI(M) to strengthen the BJP in the state in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Banerjee, who was speaking at a public distribution programme here, said the TMC decided to fight the upcoming polls alone in West Bengal after the Congress declined her offer to contest two seats in the state.

Alleging that the CPI(M) had "tortured" people of the state during its 34-year rule, the TMC chief said she would "never be able to forgive" the Left party.

"The Congress does not have even one MLA in the state assembly... I offered them two Lok Sabha seats, both in Malda, but they wanted more. So, I told them I will not share a single seat with them. CPI(M) is their leader... have they forgotten the tortures of the CPI(M)?" "I will never forgive the CPI(M). I will also not forgive those who support the CPI(M)... because by doing so they actually support the BJP. I have seen that in the last panchayat elections," she said.

Banerjee said she has "no objection" if anyone from the family of former Congress stalwart from Malda, the late Gani Khan Chowdhury, contests the election.

"But the TMC will also contest. They (Congress) will fight along with the CPI(M), to strengthen the BJP... only the TMC is capable of politically fighting the BJP in the state," she said.

Banerjee said she would stage a dharna in Kolkata from February 2 if the BJP-led Union government does not clear the state's dues by February 1.

She urged party workers and those affected by the non-payment of funds to participate in the dharna, which would be staged at the BR Ambedkar statue in Red Road area in the eastern metropolis.

"I have given them an ultimatum till February 1 to clear all dues of the state, failing which I will stage a dharna from February 2. If the dues are not cleared, I know how to get it through a movement.

"I urge all party leaders and workers to participate in the dharna... I want everyone's support," she said.

The chief minister claimed that the state's dues amount to a mammoth Rs 7,000 crore for several central government-run schemes including MGNREGA, Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana (PMGAY), among others. PTI SCH ACD ACD

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