West Bengal TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee denies merger rumors with Congress

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee rejected reports that the party could merge with the Indian National Congress, stating “We are not merging with the Congress.” The speculation followed recent meetings between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, as well as discussions between TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi.

Kirti Azad, another TMC MP, echoed the denial, calling the merger stories “incorrect” and confirming that the TMC will contest the upcoming elections as part of the existing opposition alliance. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal also dismissed the rumors as baseless, saying the meetings were aimed at strengthening the INDIA bloc.

Banerjee warned that dissenting TMC MPs considering a shift to the BJP would not be accepted by that party and accused the BJP and police of harassing the TMC in West Bengal. He framed the alleged defections as self‑servicing rather than constituency‑focused. The party’s internal dissent and potential defections remain pending discussion with the Lok Sabha speaker.