The party, which used to lambast the CPM on teh same ground earlier, claimed today that its workers are facing the maximum brunt from none other than Trinamool.

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Manas Bhuniya, while introducing Kharba MLA Asif Mehboob at a press conference, levelled accusations against the TMC.

“On Wednesday, Trinamool men attacked East Midnapore district president of Congress and a few of our party workers at Midnapore when they were accompanying our candidates for panchayat poll nomination process,” he said. “A few days ago, our men were attacked at Nandigram by members of the Trinamool-led Bhumi Uchhed Protirodh Committee. My request to them is that they should not indulge in all this.”

The CLP leader, however, did not utter the name of Mamata who has dubbed the Congress’ win at Kharba “a victory of communal forces, of muscle and money power.”

Instead, Bhuniya termed Mamata’s statement “an insult to the people of Kharba.”

“Those who said after the Balagarh by-election (where Congress trailed behind CPM, Trinamool and the BJP) that Congress has been wiped out will now have to hide. The Kharba by-election result is an eye-opener for them,” Bhuniya said.

The Trinamool, however, hit back at the Congress terming them as “comrades-in-arms of the CPM”.