Saugata Roy's Warning, Merger Buzz & A Letter By Rebels: Inside TMC's 48-Hour Meltdown

Published 12 June 2026 · politics

Saugata Roy's Warning, Merger Buzz & A Letter By Rebels: Inside TMC's 48-Hour Meltdown Published By, Last Updated: June 12, 2026, 09:48 IST Rebel MPs

Saugata Roy's Warning, Merger Buzz & A Letter By Rebels: Inside TMC's 48-Hour Meltdown Published By, Last Updated: June 12, 2026, 09:48 IST Rebel MPs have publicly challenged the party leadership, another Rajya Sabha MP has resigned, and speculation over a possible merger with Congress has triggered political intrigue Rapid Read Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee are struggling to contain the revolt in their party. (AI-Generated Image) The Trinamool Congress (TMC), already reeling from its electoral defeat in West Bengal, is witnessing one of the most turbulent periods in its history. Rebel MPs have publicly challenged the party leadership, another Rajya Sabha MP has resigned, speculation over a possible merger with Congress has triggered political intrigue, and senior leaders have openly acknowledged that the party is facing an existential crisis. Here’s a look at all that has happened in the past 48 hours and why it matters. 1. Saugata Roy Admits TMC Faces A Crisis The clearest acknowledgment of the turmoil came from senior TMC leader and MP Saugata Roy. Speaking to the media, Roy described the situation as a “crisis" for the party and suggested that rebuilding the opposition space in Bengal may require cooperation with Congress. His remarks came amid mounting concerns that the TMC’s post-election rebellion is no longer limited to a few disgruntled leaders but has spread across both the legislative and parliamentary wings.

The comments were significant because Roy has long been regarded one of Mamata Banerjee’s most trusted lieutenants and his public admission underscored the seriousness of the challenge facing the party. In an interview to The Indian Express, Roy said Banerjee must listen to the grievances of the people who are still with the party. “She must talk to people. If there are grievances against Abhishek Banerjee, she must tackle those also. Secondly, she must also chart out a plan of movement," he said. 2. Congress-TMC Merger Speculation Explodes Political circles were abuzz after TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, days after Mamata Banerjee held talks with Sonia Gandhi. The back-to-back meetings sparked speculation that the two parties could explore a merger or formal alliance in the aftermath of TMC’s electoral setback. Sougata Roy further fuelled the discussion by saying that both a merger and an alliance with Congress should remain options and that opposition unity was important in the current political climate. ALSO READ | Congress And Trinamool Are Better Apart: Why The Math Doesn’t Add Up However, both parties quickly moved to cool the speculation. Congress leaders dismissed reports of merger talks as “baseless rumours", saying discussions were focused on national political issues and opposition coordination.