Kolkata, Aug 1 - The Congress Friday bowed to the Trinamool Congress' demand and agreed to concede both the seats in the coming West Bengal assembly by-polls to the Trinamool.

The Congress, which earlier demanded one of the two seats in Kolkata - Bowbazar and Sealdah - which are slated to go to the polls Aug 18, agreed to withdraw its candidates from both the constituencies following instructions from the party high command.

'In 2006, we won both the seats. So we wanted to nominate our candidates. We were even prepared to give one to Trinamool. But Trinamool did not agree. So we are withdrawing candidates from both the seats so that the anti-left front votes are not divided,' state Congress working president Subrata Mukerjee told IANS Friday night.

Asked whether his partymen will campaign for the Trinamool candidates, Mukherjee replied: 'If those who are contesting want us, then we will campaign'.