Such meetings, he said on Monday, are sending a wrong signal to the masses and party workers regarding the party’s stand regarding the CPM.

“I have protested against such closed-door meetings. Now, when the CPM is losing ground in West Bengal and is being considered untouchable, such meetings with its leaders will affect our public image,” said Mukherjee.

On July 27, Bhattacharjee had met the external affairs minister at the latter’s Dhakuria residence. Pranab Mukherjee had later said the Chief Minister had visited him to discuss the Darjeeling problem and issues related to some pending Central projects.

Commenting on the meeting, the spokesman said: “While there was nothing wrong in talks between leaders of two parties, such discussions should be held at their offices instead of their homes with the doors shut.”

His remarks highlighted the growing anti-CPM stand within the state Congress after both the parties severed ties in Delhi.

Party sources said that the central leadership of the Congress has given a free hand to its state leaders and wants them to go to any length against the CPM in

West Bengal. The party had also initiated a series of protest programmes in Singur and Nandigram against the CPM.

With the Lok Sabha elections around the corner, state Congress also wants to reap the benefits of the anti-CPM wave created by Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee.