‘Completely Wrong’: KC Venugopal Rules Out Speculation Of Congress-TMC Merger
‘Completely Wrong’: KC Venugopal Rules Out Speculation Of Congress-TMC Merger Published By, Last Updated: June 11, 2026, 15:25 IST AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said
‘Completely Wrong’: KC Venugopal Rules Out Speculation Of Congress-TMC Merger Published By, Last Updated: June 11, 2026, 15:25 IST AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said that the party had already clarified its position and rejected the reports as mere rumours. Congress MP KC Venugopal. (Image: ANI) Congress-TMC Merger: Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal on Thursday categorically dismissed the speculation over a possible merger between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC), calling such rumour completely unfounded. While spealing to the reporters, the AICC general secretary said that the party had already clarified its position and rejected the reports as mere rumours. “This is a total rumour. We have made it clear. The news of a merger is completely wrong," he said. His remarks came amid speculation following meetings between TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee with senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, respectively. The Congress leader said the interactions were part of discussions within the opposition INDIA bloc and should not be interpreted as talks related to any merger between the two parties.
“Abhishek and Mamata ji met Sonia ji and Rahul Gandhi. That is part of the INDIA bloc meeting," Venugopal said. On Tuesday, Sonia Gandhi met Mamata Banerjee at 10 Janpath in New Delhi. According to sources, Sonia Gandhi appealed to the TMC chief to work closely with the Congress and strengthen opposition unity against the BJP. The meeting took place two days after INDIA bloc leaders met in Delhi and emphasised the need for greater coordination among alliance partners. A day later, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee met Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi at 10 Janpath, further fuelling speculation about the nature of the engagements between the two parties. However, both the Congress and the TMC have dismissed reports suggesting a possible merger. TMC sources termed the speculation baseless and said there was no proposal or discussion regarding a merger with the Congress. “We have no such information. This is baseless," a senior TMC leader said. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also rejected media reports linking the Sonia Gandhi-Mamata Banerjee meeting to merger talks.
In a post on X, Ramesh said reports about what transpired during the meeting were “completely inaccurate". He said the interaction was cordial and included discussions on personal matters, reflecting the long-standing relationship between the two leaders. “Some news reports on what supposedly transpired in the meeting between Sonia Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee are completely inaccurate. The meeting was very cordial, and many personal matters were talked about, given the long relationship they have had," Ramesh said. The TMC has already witnessed a significant split in both the Assembly and Parliament. Rebel legislators claim the support of 58 MLAs who defied the party leadership and backed Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of the Opposition instead of the TMC’s official nominee, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay. In Parliament, 20 rebel TMC MPs have informed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla about the formation of a separate parliamentary bloc under the leadership of Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and have pledged support to the NDA. The rebellion has dealt a significant blow to Mamata Banerjee’s organisational control over the party and intensified uncertainty over the future of the faction that continues to remain loyal to her.
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