West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday hit back at Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien, who blamed the former for the INDIA bloc not working out in West Bengal, and called him a “foreigner”.

Derek O’Brien had held Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury exclusively responsible for differences, a day after Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee ruled out any possibility of an alliance with the Congress for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the state.

Reacting to O’Brien’s statement that Chowdhury was working at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and it was because of him that the alliance between the TMC and the Congress did not work out in West Bengal, the Congress said, “He is a foreigner, he knows a lot more, you can ask him.” Chowdhury was responding to a media query.

When contacted, O’Brien declined to comment on Chowdhury’s remark, news agency PTI reported.

Speaking with news agency ANI on the Congress-TMC rift over seat sharing in Bengal, O’Brien earlier said, “INDIA alliance has two main detractors: The BJP and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. He speaks the language of the BJP. The three reasons for the alliance not working in Bengal: 1. Adhir Chowdhury 2. Adhir Chowdhury 3. Adhir Chowdhury.”

His statement came after Mamata Banerje’s announcement that the TMC will fight Lok Sabha polls alone in the state.

“I had no discussions with the Congress party. I have always said that in Bengal, we will fight alone. I am not concerned about what will be done in the country but we are a secular party and in Bengal, we alone will defeat the BJP,” Banerjee had said.

The move by Banerjee is seen as a big blow to the prospects of the India National Developmental Inclusive Alliance or INDIA, which was formed seven months ago to take on the BJP-led NDA in the Lok Sabha elections.

The senior Congress claimed that his party was facing problems in getting permission to organise some public meetings as part of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in West Bengal.

“The yatra will continue as scheduled in West Bengal, but in some places, we are facing roadblocks. We wanted to organise public meetings in certain places, but due to various kinds of exams, we are not getting permission in accordance with Supreme Court directives. We thought we would get relaxations in some places, but we are not getting it from the administration, they are saying that they can’t give it. However, the yatra will go on, there will be no change in it,” Chowdhury said.

The Rahul Gandhi-led yatra took a two-day break after entering West Bengal from Assam. It will resume on January 28.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi adopted a conciliatory tone saying that the INDIA bloc will fight “anyay” together. The Wayanad MP added that he was happy to have come to West Bengal.

“I am happy to have come to West Bengal. We have come here to listen to you and stand with you…BJP-RSS are spreading hatred, violence and injustice. So, INDIA formation is going to fight ‘Anyay’ together” Gandhi said.

(With inputs from agencies)