Kolkata, Jan 24 (IANS): With West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee making it clear on Wednesday that her party would fight the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls alone in West Bengal, the CPI-M leadership claimed that the longevity of Trinamool Congress’ participation in the Opposition INDIA bloc was doubtful since the beginning.

“The INDIA bloc will not collapse because of her absence. We had warned about the Trinamool Congress' future role since the time the talks for the Opposition bloc started. We expressed doubts about the length of time that the Trinamool Congress would continue its association with the Opposition bloc,” said CPI-M politburo member and former Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Dr Surya Kanta Mishra.

Reacting to her announcement to go it alone in the Lok Sabha polls, Mishra, also the former West Bengal Health Minister in the previous Left Front regime, said that ultimately the Chief Minister will have to decide how long she will remain with the BJP and how long with the Congress.

“No one can predict which way she will move and when. But our fight will not stop for even a day for that. In the recent elections, our performance has been better and we are going ahead with the alliance talks,” said Mishra.

He added that in the perspective of the CPI-M and the Left Front in West Bengal, both the BJP and Trinamool Congress were equal enemies.

However, state Congress President in West Bengal and five-time party Lok Sabha member Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who is known for his constant opposition to having an alliance with the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, refused to make any comments on the Chief Minister’s announcement on Wednesday.

“This is not my subject. It is better you ask our central leaders about this,” Chowdhury said.