Monday, January 16 2006 15:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bardhaman (WB): The Congress has sent a formal letter to the Trinamool Congress stating that it was willing to project its chief Mamata Banerjee as the opposition Chief Ministerial candidate in the forthcoming assembly elections in the state, provided she parted ways with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Stating this, West Bengal President Pranab Mukherjee today (Jan 16, 2006) told reporters to queries on the Congress' willingness to be part of a the anti-CPI(M) 'grand alliance' "No doubt Mamata is a popular leader."

"The Congress was willing to project her as the Chief Ministerial candidate provided she parted ways with the BJP," he said.

The Trinamool chief has so far said that she would not part ways with ally BJP.

Mukherjee was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function organised by the Indian Institute of Hypsometry at Durgapur.

Later he left for Murshidabad on way to Malda.