Siliguri:
In a close election, rebels often decide who will form the next government. The rebel factor is something that every political party has to live with in every election.
In North Bengal, where several heavyweights like Rahul Gandhi are campaigning for the Congress-Trinamool alliance, the rebel factor could make a difference.
Dark clouds are threatening the campaign plans of Sunil Tirki, the Congress candidate from Phansi Dewa - a reserved tribal constituency - about 25 km from Siliguri.
More than the rains, it is the number of rebel candidates that can hurt the alliance in North Bengal.
In Tirki's constituency, Trinamool ally Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) has fielded their own candidate.
Fifty kilometre away is Islampur, a part of the Raiganj Lok Sabha seat.
The battle here is even more interesting. Abdul Karim Chaudhury of Trinamool is the official candidate of the alliance.
But the local MP, Congress' Deepa Dasmunshi, is backing a party rebel, Kanhaya Lal Agarwal. Agarwal is contesting as an independent in the polls but continues to head the Congress-led Municipal Council in the area.
History seems to be repeating itself here. Two years ago, Karim Chaudhury contested the Lok Sabha polls against Deepa Dasmunshi as a Trinamool rebel.
"They are cheating people... asking vote in the name of Congress," said Abdul.
The story repeats itself in several other constituencies of North Dinajpur, Malda and Cooch Behar - all traditional Congress strongholds.
Congress has now suspended the 12 partymen who were contesting as independents against the Congress-Trinamool alliance's official candidates.
"We have no option but to take action," said Shakeel Ahmed, Congress in-charge, West Bengal.
But it's not just the Trinamool that's complaining. The Congress says Trinamool ally SUCI has put up a rebel in 29 seats including against Congress' Bengal chief.
"The response from Trinamool was not positive. So, we will fight," said Manas Bhuiyan, West Bengal Pradesh Congress chief.
While the top leadership are trying their best to make the alliance work to take on the might of the Left, on the ground differences remain. And that can be seen in the form of rebels. The key question though is: Will they affect the alliances electoral fortunes?