CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim and State Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury were scheduled to hold a discussion in the matter in the Murshidabad district. However, Salim told mediapersons in the evening that a meeting could not be held between the two.

“I was in Murshidabad district today and Adhir Chowdhury was also present in the district. I had thought that we could sit for talks. However, I was busy with party affairs and Adhir also had other engagements. Therefore, the meeting could not be held. We will soon hold a meeting in Kolkata,” said Salim.

Meanwhile, sources in the Congress said the party did not receive any formal invitation for a meeting to be held on Thursday. However, party insiders have said soon both leaders will hold a meeting to finalise the seat sharing talks in West Bengal.

Last year, Chowdhury had announced that his party would fight the panchayat elections in the state in an alliance with the CPI(M).

The Congress had received a big jolt when its lone MLA Bayron Biswas had joined the TMC. Bayron Biswas, the Left-backed Congress candidate, won the Sagardighi Assembly bypoll in February 2023.