This comes days after state Congress chief Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to Kolkata, when it was decided that seat-sharing talks would be held at the district level. The decision was, however, changed after a recent meeting between Mamata Banerjee and WBPCC leaders at her Kalighat residence.

“No discussions on seat-sharing will be done at the district level. All talks will be held at the state level. We have asked district units to submit a list of probable candidates to us. After that we will talk with Trinamool Congress leaders here in Kolkata,” said Subrata Mukherjee, working president of the state Congress.

Interestingly, three Congress leaders — Shankar Singh, Deepa Dasmunsi and Adhir Choudhury — who were vocal against the Trinamool chief, were conspicuous by their absence at the Bidhan Bhavan meeting today. Sources said the trio was unhappy with the way the Congress has “bowed down before the Trinamool Congress”.

“Pradesh Congress had taken a resolution at an extended meeting in the presence of Pranab Mukherjee. It was decided that the district units would be the main functionaries. If there is any dispute with seat sharing at the district level, then only the state leadership would intervene,” said Shankar Singh, Nadia district president of Congress.

He added: “No one sitting in Kolkata can decide on changing such a decision. Pranab Mukherjee is aware of these developments and we will talk to him at an appropriate time.”

The Pradesh Congress, said sources, was under pressure from the Congress high command in Delhi to do “whatever was necessary” to preserve the Congress-Trinamool alliance.

“A decision of the Central leadership is like a direction for us. Pranab Mukherjee had also made this absolutely clear in no uncertain terms at the chintan shibir,” Mukherjee said.

The Congress has called a meeting of the district presidents and party observers for the municipal elections on February 16 and 17. The observers will then hold meetings with district presidents and municipal committees and prepare a list.