The context of her speech — and much of the ongoing wrangling — was rooted in local events but she made it clear that the implications were national by linking it to her stand on key issues at the Centre.

Referring to the row in Raiganj college where the conflict between Congress and Trinamool student wings led to the assault of the college principal by TMC men, she said: “I am not using the Chief Minister’s podium to address you today, I am speaking as the TMC party chairperson.” As many as 11 TMC workers were arrested for the assault on the principal with iron rods and sticks but they were out on bail in a couple of hours.

Alleging that the assault was orchestrated by the Congress with the CPM, Banerjee said: “If the Congress wants to work with CPM, they can quit. The incident in Raiganj was jointly planned by the Congress and CPM. They wanted to launch a negative campaign against the TMC.

“The Congress is doing so because I opposed the petro-price hike, the bid to invite FDI in retail. Moreover, I wanted the Lokayukta out of Lokpal Bill. But they did not comply. So if Congress thinks that they will work with CPM, the door is open and they can go. But they will never get TMC by their side if they work with CPM,” said Banerjee.

The Congress, which was showing signs of lowering the pitch since yesterday, got worked up again.

Om Prakash Misra, general secretary of the WBPCC said: “At the state level, the Congress has been with her for seven months but at the Centre, the TMC is with the Congress for two years and eight months. So the ball is in her court. She can not claim the privilege of going it alone in the state and enjoying the fruits at the Centre. She can take a call on quitting. If she is thinking of severing ties with the Congress, then it’s the BJP she may be planning to go with.”

Congress MP from West Bengal Deepa Dasmunshi, one of the key players in the recent anti-Mamata drive accused the TMC of “arrogance”.

“The Congress in the Centre never asks Mamata to get out of the UPA even though she keeps opposing every key policy initiative of the government. Why can’t she show similar decency and listen to our concerns in the state instead of just asking us to pull out (of the West Bengal government)? Is this the behavior of an ally?” she told The Sunday Express.

The tension is set to escalate with the youth wing of the TMC planning a public rally against the Congress on Monday. This is in retaliation to the West Bengal Pradesh Youth Congress rally protesting against the government’s move to rename Indira Bhavan as Nazrul Academy and the distress sale of paddy by farmers.

In New Delhi, asked about the UPA coordination committee the Congress has often talked but done little about, the party tried to put up a brave face. “We are not ruling it (coordination mechanism) out but we are also not ruling it in. What you are saying is certainly open — the idea has to be first thought over by the Congress high command and UPA allies,” said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi. “We urge all stakeholders not to react over aggressively and provocatively. In a coalition arrangement, disagreements do occur.”

There was toughtalk too. “There is no question of the 125-year-old all-India party being scared of anyone or any political challenge. I am not naming any regional or national party but this holds true for the entire national (political spectrum).”

The Congress has sought to buy time hoping for a fresh cushion for itself after the conclusion of Assembly elections in five states. While it’s the incumbent in two of the poll-bound states, Manipur and Goa, the Opposition BJP is among the incumbents in two other states, Punjab and Uttarakhand, while the BSP is the incumbent in Uttar Pradesh.