A top Trinamool Congress leader on Wednesday defended his party chief, Mamata Banerjee's, recent 'interaction' with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, saying her secular credentials are all too well known.

"Members of the minority community look up to her. Her attendance of an RSS function was in the larger interest of dislodging the Marxist government in our state [West bengal], where a reign of terror prevails," the Trinamool leader said.

The leader, who did not wish to be identified, conceded that Mamata should have consulted her party leaders before attending the RSS function on Monday.

He acknowledged that if such contacts continued, it will become difficult for the Trinamool chief to protect her secular image.

"But it is well known that she will not tolerate any assault on the minority community's rights and I think our party leaders from that community are aware of it," he said.

Party leaders like Trinamool general secretary Sultan Ahmad and Akbor Ali Khondekar, he said, had counselled Banerjee to desist from associating with communal elements.

Trinamool general secretary Sultan Ahmad was critical of Mamata's attendance of the RSS function. He said her move could sully her secular credentials.

Mamata Benerjee, who is now a minister without portfolio in the Vajpayee Cabinet, is under tremendous pressure to show results in West Bengal, where her party lost badly to the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) in the last assembly election.

Her close aide and party spokesman, Pankaj Banerjee, hoped that Banerjee will get an important portfolio once the prime minister returns from his 13-day trip to Turkey and the US. That, he believes, will go a long way in salvaging the party's stock in West Bengal.