Congress Dismisses TMC Merger Buzz Amid Political Turmoil
KC Venugopal Calls Speculation ‘Baseless’; Rahul-Abhishek, Sonia-Mamata Meetings Fuel Rumours
- Congress rejects speculation of a merger with Trinamool Congress.
- KC Venugopal terms reports “rumours” and “baseless”.
- Recent meetings between Congress and TMC leaders trigger political buzz.
- Congress says opposition unity against BJP remains the priority.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 11th June: The Congress on Thursday firmly rejected speculation about a possible merger with the Trinamool Congress (TMC), describing such reports as “baseless” and reiterating that ongoing interactions between the two parties are part of routine discussions within the INDIA opposition bloc.
Addressing reporters, Congress Organisation General Secretary K.C. Venugopal dismissed reports suggesting that the TMC could merge with the Congress amid political turmoil in West Bengal.
“How can I respond to rumours and speculation?” Venugopal said when asked about the possibility of a merger. “Of course, we will work together against the anti-democratic BJP government,” he added.
The speculation gained momentum following two high-profile meetings in New Delhi this week. TMC chief Mamata Banerjee met Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday, while TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee held discussions with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday.
The meetings came at a time when the Trinamool Congress is grappling with internal unrest following its recent Assembly election setback. The party leadership is reportedly facing challenges after a section of its legislators and parliamentarians formed separate groups.
Sources indicated that the meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Abhishek Banerjee was part of ongoing coordination among INDIA bloc partners and lasted for nearly 90 minutes.
According to sources, Abhishek Banerjee conveyed that the Trinamool Congress favours a strong opposition alliance and recognises Rahul Gandhi’s leadership role within the broader opposition framework.
Congress leaders, however, made it clear that there has been no discussion initiated by the party regarding any merger proposal. Party sources maintained that if such a proposal were ever to arise, it would have to come from the Trinamool Congress.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar struck a more open-ended note, saying politics is “the art of possibilities.”
“Anything can happen tomorrow,” Sarkar said, while reiterating his support for Rahul Gandhi as a national leader and potential prime ministerial face.
The Congress and Trinamool Congress share a long political history. Mamata Banerjee founded the TMC in 1998 after breaking away from the Congress. The two parties later joined forces to defeat the Left Front government in West Bengal in 2011 before parting ways the following year.
Despite political differences in Bengal, both parties came together as constituents of the INDIA bloc ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and continue to coordinate on national opposition issues.
Congress leaders maintained that strengthening opposition unity against the BJP remains the immediate focus, while dismissing reports of an organisational merger as unfounded speculation.
