TMC sources on Tuesday firmly rejected reports of possible merger with the Congress, saying recent conversations between opposition parties were focused
solely on strengthening coordination within the INDIA bloc. According to party insiders, no proposal regarding a merger was discussed at any stage. Instead, the focus was on ensuring that constituent parties of the opposition alliance work together more effectively against the BJP and maintain unity despite differences at the state level. The clarification comes as the TMC battles unrest within its parliamentary ranks. On Wednesday, another party leader, Sushmita Dev, quit as Rajya Sabha MP, following Sukhendu Roy's resignation on Monday. The denial also follows remarks by Congress Lok Sabha MP Imran Masood, who publicly advocated a merger between the two parties. Calling it his personal opinion, the Saharanpur MP argued that a merger would help prevent political fragmentation within the opposition. "This merger should be done immediately to stop these people. I don't understand how someone can leave the party which had given them everything. What about the ideology?" Masood said. Masood's comments come against the backdrop of reports suggesting that a section of TMC MPs may be exploring options outside the party fold, raising concerns about opposition unity. However, TMC sources insisted that such speculation should not be confused with discussions within the INDIA bloc. They reiterated that the objective of recent interactions among opposition leaders was to improve coordination and strengthen collective political strategy, not to discuss mergers or organisational integration.
