'Baseless rumours': Congress rejects speculation over merger with TMC

Congress on Thursday rejected speculation about a possible merger with the Trinamool Congress, describing such reports as "baseless rumours." Congress Organisation General Secretary K.C. Venugopal said recent interactions between senior leaders of the two parties were part of routine discussions within the INDIA bloc and should not be interpreted as merger negotiations.

Responding to questions about the possibility of a merger, Venugopal said he would not comment on rumours and speculation. He stated that the Congress would continue to work with other opposition parties against the BJP government. His remarks came amid widespread political discussion following recent meetings between Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and Sonia Gandhi, and between Trinamool National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi.

The speculation gained momentum against the backdrop of internal challenges within the Trinamool Congress following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections. Reports of rebellion among sections of the party's MLAs and MPs have fueled discussions about the party's future political strategy and its relationship with the Congress.

According to sources, the meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Abhishek Banerjee lasted around one-and-a-half hours and formed part of ongoing communication between the two parties after the recent INDIA bloc gathering. During the discussion, Abhishek Banerjee reportedly conveyed support for a strong opposition alliance and acceptance of Rahul Gandhi's leadership within the opposition grouping.

Congress sources maintained that any proposal regarding a merger would have to originate from the Trinamool Congress and that the Congress was not pursuing such an arrangement. At the same time, channels of communication between the two parties remain open on matters of mutual political interest.

West Bengal Congress president Shubhankar Sarkar also commented on the issue, stating that politics is the art of possibilities and that anything can happen in the future. The Congress and Trinamool Congress share a political history dating back to Mamata Banerjee's departure from the Congress in 1998. The two parties later worked together to defeat the Left Front government in West Bengal in 2011 and are currently constituents of the INDIA bloc.