Banerjee, who reached north Bengal on Sunday, has asked her party leaders and workers to work in close association with their Congress counterparts in the areas, where the latter is considered to be strong. District Congress leaders shared the dais with the Trinamool during Banerjee’s meeting with her partymen in Dinhata.

Interestingly not so long ago, Congress leaders of north Bengal were foremost in denouncing the alliance and criticising Trinamool’s highhandedness in seat-sharing. Deepa Dasmunsi, a Congress leader from Raigunge and wife of ailing Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, was among the top leaders opposing the alliance.

“We are for the alliance with Congress at all levels and in all constituencies, be it south or north Bengal. We are extending our support, forgetting our differences for ousting CPM from Bengal,” said Trinamool leader Partho Chatterjee. As per the 28:14 seat-sharing formula with the Congress, Mamata is fielding three candidates from North Bengal — Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Balurghat constituencies.

According to Trinamool sources, Banerjee has asked her districts and grassroot level workers to work closely with Congress workers and leaders. “North Bengal is a Congress bastion. Therefore, we must support it to prevent a split in the anti-CPM votes,” a senior Trinamool leader from the area said. Trinamool sources said they had received instructions from the party chief to invite Congress leaders and workers for rallies and gatherings.

Banerjee also held a workers’ meeting in Dinhata on Sunday where she spoke about developing north Bengal as a tourist destination and setting up of a separate secretariat for the area. North Bengal has the potential to become a tourist destination like Switzerland, she said.

Reacting to Banerjee’s attempts at forging a grassroots level alliance, Deepa Dasmunsi said,” I do not know what she said. But we have been inviting the Trinamool leaders, including their North Dinajpur working president, at our workers’ meet.”