Kolkata, Sep 6 (IANS) Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Monday asked West Bengal unit party leaders to strengthen the organisation and said, without naming ally Trinamool Congress, that there was need for a 'Lakshman rekha' of respect and understanding between constituents in any alliance.

'Rahul Gandhi has told us to strengthen the party. He didn't name Trinamool Congress or (its leader and railway minister) Mamata Banerjee, but has told us that in every alliance there is a Lakshman Rekha (borderline). And the Lakshman Rekha is based on respect and understanding. He also said the dignity of the Congress is non-negotiable,' said a senior congress leader and MP.

Trinamool Congress and the Congress combine along with the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) bagged 26 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

But during civic elections in 2010, both Trinamool Congress and Congress failed to clinch a seat-sharing deal and decided to go it separately. The state Congress leadership accused the Trinamool of not giving them their due respect.

Emerging from the closed-door meeting, Congress general secretary in-charge of the state K. Keshava Rao said: 'He has asked the state leaders to strengthen the party. He said there can be no alliance at the cost of the party's respect.'

Gandhi met the senior and youth leaders of the West Bengal state Congress at the party's state committee headquarters Bidhan Bhavan.

'He has told us that we should not think that our party or organisation is weak in the state. He has also told us to be with the party and strengthen it. He told us to reach out to the people,' said another senior congress leader, who did not wish to be named.