NEW DELHI: Dismissing speculation over the possibility of Trinamool Congress merging with Congress as nothing but rumour mongering, those aware of the matters discussed at the meeting between Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee have made it clear that there was no discussion on the issue.”The issue of merger of TMC with Congress and all other speculation around this is all rumours and incorrect. No such thing was discussed,” highly placed sources from TMC aware of matters discussed at the meeting told TOI. The meeting between Gandhi and Banerjee at 10 Janpath was long and lasted for nearly one and half hours. The two discussed developments in West Bengal and how the TMC and Congress can coordinate and work together to strengthen their presence in the state as INDIA bloc allies to counter the BJP which came to power ousting the three term Mamata Banerjee led govt there.The two leaders also discussed the 2029 Lok Sabha polls and how they could coordinate on strengthening the INDIA bloc to take on the BJP in the general elections three years from now. However, given the crisis that has hit the TMC since it lost the elections in West Bengal and the way it is cosying up to Congress, a coming together could be a last resort of survival for the Banerjee outfit. Abhishek Banerjee’s meeting on Wednesday with Rahul Gandhi gains significance as it comes at a time when the TMC is grappling with its worst crisis as it is battling rebellion from its own MPs after a split in the party’s legislature wing in the state. TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee had met Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi at 10 Janpath on Tuesday in what was seen as Banerjee’s attempt to further build on efforts to rally support as her party faces its worst crisis. During the INDIA bloc meeting too on Monday, visuals of Sonia and Banerjee hugging each other and sharing a warm interaction were shared by Congress. Banerjee had urged all the constituents to forget the past and stand united.While no details of the meeting were shared by either party, sources said Banerjee went into the meeting keen to share with Sonia the TMC’s challenges during elections, her views on the future strategy for West Bengal and ways to strengthen the INDIA alliance and opposition unity. These issues figured in the discussions, sources said. At the INDIA bloc meet on Monday, Banerjee has urged the opposition to forget the past and stand united. In an about turn from her past hostility, Banerjee had said at the meet that the Congress should take the lead in the opposition’s fight against the BJP. Meanwhile, in another setback, TMC’s Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev has resigned from the Upper House and party. She is the second RS MP to quit. On Monday, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy had resigned from the Upper House and TMC after levelling allegations against the party. A former Congress leader who had joined the TMC a few years ago, Dev, met Rajya Sabha chairman C P Radhakrishnan and resigned from the Upper House. She also met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at his residence in Delhi. Refusing to make any comment on Mamata Banerjee, Dev said, “what prompted me to take this decision is a long story why I left the party. I don’t want to be in a situation where I am in two boats at the same time.” On reports of her joining the BJP, she said, “When I take a decision I will let you know.” According to news agency PTI, Dev said that she had resigned due to “personal and political reasons” and that “everyone has the right to change their mind, and to decide what kind of politics they want to do.” On Tuesday, TMC had fielded its senior leaders Kalyan Banerjee and Kirti Azad to take on dissident MPs and questioning the claim made by rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar of having support of 20 MPs and to have written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition as a separate parliamentary bloc that would back the NDA.Demanding that the letter claiming support of 20 MPs should be placed in public domain, Banerjee challenged all dissident MPs to resign from TMC and join BJP.“Those who went to Union minister Bhupender Yadav’s residence and held meetings with West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari have effectively become BJP. Today, their leader is Narendra Modi. If anyone has political morality, they should resign from Parliament and seek a fresh mandate from the people,” Banerjee and Azad said at a press conference held in Delhi on Tuesday morning.“If the rebel MPs claim they have the numbers required under the Tenth Schedule, then why have they not formally merged with the BJP? The truth is that BJP has not officially accepted them despite their efforts to align with it,” the TMC leaders said.
