“There have been no instructions given to us by the district Congress leadership regarding the alliance. If that does not come we cannot work for Trinamool,” said Asim Saha.

In seats like Kolkata North East and Diamond Harbour, where Sudip Bandopadhyaya and Somen Mitra are contesting on TMC tickets, Congress workers are expected to remain aloof, since both leaders broke away from the party recently to join Mamata.

Interestingly, Abdul Karim Choudhury, Trinamool chief of North Dinajpur district, sent his resignation to Mamata Banerjee on Saturday and decided to contest the Lok Sabha polls as an independent candidate. “My workers have built a strong base in Raigunj in the past few years. I have been with Mamata Banerjee since the formation of TMC in 1999. In Raigunj we had a good chance on our own and I cannot support Deepa Dasmunsi a candidate from the Congress,” he said.