Kolkata:
Across West Bengal, the Congress and Mamata Banerjee have combined forces in their battle to push the Left out of power.
In the six northern districts that voted today, though, the alliance's real competition lies within - in the rebels from discontent Congressmen, particularly in Malda and Dinajpur.
The Congress' decision to allow Ms Banerjee 226 seats as against the 65 it is contesting angered several local Congressmen who saw the deal as a sell-out. "It is true we were unhappy, the Trinamool Congresss took away many seats from us," says Mausam Noor who hopes to be re-elected as the Congress MP from Malda North. "But I've instructed people to work for the alliance. The other MPs in the region, they are senior people, they could have their reasons for supporting rebels. I can't deny that there is a problem."
Another sore point with local Congressmen is Pranab Mukherjee's statement to NDTV that if the alliance wins, the Congress may choose not to participate in the government and support Ms Banerjee from outside.
"We will support her government in the legislations. Participation will depend on the central leadership and that is why I use the phrase that we will think of crossing the bridge when we reach there," the Finance Minister had said to NDTV last week.
Voter turnout was high today - 74.27 per cent - usually a sign that the electorate wants a change. But with its own members threatening to split the vote - by contesting against official candidates - the Congress knows its battle is a grim one.