New Delhi: Talk of a merger between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has no basis, sources familiar with the developments told Hindustan Times.
They said neither party is considering any proposal for a merger despite recent political discussions between their leaders.
However, the sources saidboth parties remain open
to working together and have continued discussions on issues of common political interest.Rahul-Abhishek discuss coordination
According to the report, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee recently discussed ways to improve coordination between their parties. The two leaders also agreed that the next meeting of the INDIA bloc should be held in Hyderabad.
The discussions have gained attention at a time when the TMC is facing a major internal challenge, leading to speculation about the party’s future political strategy.
Merger rumours gather pace
Rumours of a possible Congress-TMC merger intensified after senior Congress leaders met TMC chief Mamata Banerjee in New Delhi. The speculation came against the backdrop of a growing rebellion within the TMC.
According to reports, 58 TMC MLAs have openly revolted against the party leadership. Signs of unrest have also emerged among the party’s Members of Parliament, including those in the Rajya Sabha.
The crisis deepened on Wednesday when Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev resigned from both the party and her membership of the Upper House.
Earlier, on June 8, Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray also resigned from the Rajya Sabha and the primary membership of the TMC.
Rebel leaders reject merger idea
Rebel TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claimed that a group of 20 MPs has formally requested separate seating arrangements in the Lok Sabha.
“We are 20 MPs who have requested the Speaker for separate seating, and we will be working in conjunction with the Central and State Government for the development of West Bengal,” she told ANI.
Meanwhile, rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee dismissed reports of a merger with the Congress. Claiming that the dissident camp now has the support of 64 MLAs, up from 58 earlier, he asserted that the rebel faction represents the “real TMC”.
“We are the real Trinamool Congress. We are not merging with the Congress,” Ritabrata told reporters outside the state assembly.
He said the dissident camp enjoys the support of a majority of TMC legislators and an increasing number of MPs and would continue to function under the Trinamool Congress banner.
