NEW DELHI, Dec 10: The Congress party in West Bengal is heading for a split with rebel leader Mamata Banerjee showing an unyielding determination to go ahead and forge an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party to fight the CPI(M) in the state in the coming general elections.

Congress general secretary Oscar Fernandes' peace mission to Calcutta today made no headway with the firebrand leader who reiterated her decision to fight as a candidate of her recently floated forum, the Trinamul Congress. She said that in Bengal, the communists were the main enemy and she was more bothered about ``humanism'' than communalism or secularism. She reasserted that the BJP was more than welcome to join her ``Save Bengal Front''.

In Delhi, BJP general secretary Sushma Swaraj confirmed the possibility of a tie-up with Banerjee but clarified that there have no formal talks with her yet.

Banerjee's remark that the BJP is not untouchable is a positive signal, Swaraj stated, adding that the alliance could be finalised any time soon. Both have one common enemy - the communists - and it was the ``historic responsibility'' of the BJP to free West Bengal from the CPI(M), she declared.

Banerjee's continued defiance of the Central leadership is worrying the Congress party which realises that even if she does not win any seats for herself or the BJP, she can certainly mar prospects for her parent party.Senior leader Pranab Mukherjee indicated that the hiigh command may take disciplinary action against Banerjee. With Banerjee going her own way, however, the disciplinary action may not amount to much.