New Delhi/IBNS: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday exuded optimism in joining hands with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to fight Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) despite Trinamool Congress (TMC)'s renewed declaration that it will go solo in the state in Lok Sabha elections 2024.

Speaking to ANI during Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Ramesh said Congress has always welcomed TMC and he is optimistic that Mamata will have a seat-sharing deal with her former party in West Bengal.

Ramesh said, "Discussions are underway. Our doors have always remained open for TMC because Mamata Banerjee said she wants to strengthen the INDIA alliance. Both our parties' sole aim is to defeat BJP. So we expect TMC to be with us."

"Heated exchanges do happen but we respect Mamata-ji. Mamata-ji became an MP for the first time in Congress. Maybe, she left due to certain reasons but TMC also carries the word Congress," he added.

Ramesh's comment comes after TMC MP Derek O'Brien said the party will fight on all 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal despite reports that the two parties have resumed seat-sharing talks weeks after Mamata rejected any such deal.

As per reports, Mamata is not ready to give more than two seats to Congress, which has been out of power from the Centre for 10 years now.

The TMC had offered two seats in North Bengal to Congress, which won the same number in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and drew a blank in 2021 assembly elections.

The development comes weeks after Mamata said her party will contest all 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state alone.

Mamata, who was visibly angry with Congress, had said, "I had no talk with anyone. My proposal for seat-sharing was turned down by them on the first day. We have already decided to go solo in the elections in Bengal. We will decide about a national approach after the elections."

"I am a part of the INDIA alliance but I haven't been even informed that the rally is passing through our state," said the TMC supremo.

Despite Mamata's announcement, Rahul maintained he had good terms with the TMC chief who was still in the INDIA bloc, the alliance against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP.

The alliance talks resumed just when West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury made scathing attacks on Mamata over the pot-boiling Sandeshkhali incident, where several villagers have accused absconding TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides of allegedly grabbing lands and sexually abusing women.

In the 2019 General Elections, Mamata's TMC had received a jolt as her tally of seats went down to 22 of 42 seats while BJP won 18, the highest ever figure it recorded in the state.

But it is important to note, Mamata stormed back to power a couple of years later with over 200 of 294 seats and winning subsequent byelections in the state over the last two-three years.