India, Aug. 17 -- New Delhi: Talks between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) have once again started with an eye on the possibility of stitching an alliance ahead of 2021, when West Bengal is scheduled to hold its Assembly elections. Both parties feel that an alliance is "inevitable" to check the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state. According to sources, senior TMC leaders and MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Sudip Bandopadhyay met Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi last week and discussed a possible tie-up between the two parties. The meeting was described by insiders as being "fruitful" and "positive".

As a first step towards this alliance, Congress leaders have been asked to "go soft" on TMC chief and Bengal Chief Minister Mamat...