Is Mamata Banerjee's TMC merging with Congress? Here's what party said...
TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee was seen attending the INDIA bloc meeting on Monday leading may to speculate if her homecoming is in the cards. Addressing the rumours, here is what the party said.
Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee interact in the INDIA Bloc Meeting at Constitution Club of India in New Delhi. ANI
Former Chief Minister of West Bengal and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee was seen attending the INDIA bloc meeting on Monday (June 8). When was the last time that Banerjee was seen at a meeting of the Opposition alliance? Many wonder if this will be her party's moment of homecoming. Notably, she quit Congress to form her own party in 1997.
What did TMC say?
Now, TMC reacted to the rumours saying that nothing such is happening. According to highly placed sources aware of the matters discussed at the meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Abhishek Banerjee, there was no discussion on a merger of Trinamool Congress with Congress. According to party sources, the speculation is simply an attempt to spread rumours and should not be taken seriously.
What had happened?
Amid the ongoing turmoil within the TMC and the steady exit of several leaders, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee held talks with Rahul Gandhi earlier in the day. On Tuesday, Mamata Banerjee also met Sonia Gandhi at the Congress leader's New Delhi residence.
Although no official statement was issued after the meeting, sources told PTI that Mamata stressed the need for a united opposition and called for the INDIA bloc to work together in raising issues concerning the people and countering the BJP.
Mamata and Sonia held their first one-on-one meeting since the Trinamool's defeat in the polls and the alleged post-election attacks targeting party workers and Abhishek Banerjee. A day before the meeting, Mamata and Sonia Gandhi had exchanged warm greetings and hugged each other at the opposition conclave held at the Constitution Club.
Mamata used the meeting to encourage alliance members to leave the past behind and present a united front.
What did INDIA bloc meeting focus on?
The discussions on Monday focused on moving beyond mutual resentment, strengthening engagement with civil society groups, and accepting Congress as the opposition alliance's central pillar, as long as it demonstrated a willingness to accommodate allies.
According to sources, Mamata was firm in her view that opposition allies should avoid attacking each other, marking a departure from her previous efforts to position herself outside the Congress-led opposition framework.
After the 2024 general elections, Mamata questioned whether the Congress was in a position to effectively lead the opposition bloc.
With inputs from agencies
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