GUWAHATI: Rahul Gandhi responded to Mamata Banerjee's statement that Trinamool Congress will contest all 42 seats in West Bengal. Rahul Gandhi said that he and Mamata Banerjee have a close relationship. He said in Assam that it is natural for both parties to criticize each other.

Earlier, Mamata had said that Trinamool will contest all the seats in West Bengal, even though it is part of the India Front. Congress Lok Sabha Party leader Athir Ranjan Chaudhary responded that it does not matter. The seat allocation is being discussed. The matter will be decided in due course. Nothing can be said about it now - said Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi said that criticizing each other is only natural and both the parties have a very good relationship. But things will not be easy for the Indian Front in the division of seats in Bengal. Mamata is aiming to win maximum seats from her stronghold state. Mamata had clarified the other day that she will not accept CPM even if she is part of India Front.

Mamata is worried that BJP will use it as a campaign issue if there is a seat-sharing with the Congress and the CPM within the state, even if they stand together at the national level. It is for this reason that they are taking a tough stance on the seat sharing talks. Along with that, she said that the CPM had also attacked the Trinamool workers along with the BJP and that it is not easy to forget that they fought with the CPM for 34 years.