Kolkata, April 16 (IANS) A senior Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Saturday accused the Trinamool Congress of using black money for the coming West Bengal assembly elections, alleging fake coupons were later issued to show the money was collected from the public. The Trinamool denied the allegations.

 
 "All but one of the 226 Trinamool candidates have been given Rs.15 lakh each in cash. From where did they get this huge amount of Rs.33.9 crore?" Housing Minister Gautam Deb asked at a media conference here.
 
 "Later, coupons of Rs.100, 200 and 500 each were issued purportedly to show that the money was collected from the public. In case of many of the coupons, the part to be given to the public were put in sacks and set on fire.  Sacks full of coupons can still be found in the Trinamool office," he alleged.
 
 Deb also claimed to have pictures of the sacks of coupons.
 
 "Except for one, all of the rest 225 candidates took the money. I will not reveal the name of the person who refused to take the money, but I can give you the phone number of Upen Biswas, (Trinamool candidate from Bagda in North 24-Parganas). You can call him and ask for the details," he added.
 
 Deb also said that a conspiracy was being hatched by the Trinamool to defeat Biswas, who is their own candidate.
 
 Disclosing that a Trinamool candidate deposited a sum of Rs.7 lakh the very next day of opening his bank account and that the Trinamool supremo Mamta Banerjee was behind all this, Deb said: "All this is being done at the behest of Mamata Banerjee and (union Minister of State for Shipping and senior Trinamool leader) Mukul Roy. The others are not even aware about it."
 
 Seeking the prime minister's intervention, Deb said: "Nothing like this has happened before in our state. I will complain to the Election Commission. Hope the prime minister is listening, he needs to intervene."
 
 Deb also ridiculed Banerjee for her recent painting exhibition. "I think she herself doesn't know what she has painted and those paintings were sold for a whopping Rs.2 crore. I wonder who has bought them. Will she come out with the details?"
 
 Responding to the allegation, a belligerent Banerjee said the party was prepared to provide explanation only to the Election Commission.
 
 "We will not answer any Tom, Dick and Harry. Who is he to seek answers from us on this? After having looted the state for 34 years, they have the audacity to ask such questions!"