With the Opposition demanding a clarification on her comments in Parliament, the Trinamool chief — before flying to Delhi for the Monsoon session — had said she stood by her comments.

“We are fully aware of her position in respect to Azad’s killing,” Mukherjee said on Sunday at the Kolkata Press Club on the sidelines of a programme. “Mamata Banerjee, myself and Union home minister P Chidambaram had a long discussion with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.”

Mamata has only said that if Azad was killed because he was trying to initiate talks with the Centre, then that should be explained, Mukherjee said. “Recently, the Andhra Pradesh government also explained the situation and the circumstances under which his killing took place. Therefore I do not think that what she has stated has any contradiction with the stated policy of the UPA government."

Extending further support to Trinamool chief, he said she was always free to voice her opinions. "Just because she is an ally of the UPA government, it cannot be that she or her political party cannot have an opinion."

Azad was killed in an encounter with Andhra Pradesh Police on July 2 and on August 9, at a rally in Lalgarh, Mamata has said he was "murdered".

Rebuffing CPM claims of Trinamool having "links" with Maoists, Mukherjee also said if Mamata thinks the Maoist problem can be negotiated through dialogue and invites Maoists for talks, it does not prove a Maoist link.

Regarding Trinamool allegations of CPM cadres entering Lalgarh under cover of joint security forces, he said: "She has alleged that under the coverage of joint operation, the armed cadres of Marxist Communist Party are taking advantage and those who were driven out from the area are trying to reorganise themselves and come back. She brought the matter before the Union Home Minister, who would look into it."

About the recent spurt in political violence in the state, he said political clashes should be avoided and there is no room for violence in a democracy.