Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal on Thursday, 11 June flatly dismissed reports of a merger between the Indian National Congress and the Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), calling the speculation 'totally rumours' and 'baseless'. The denial came at a press conference in New Delhi as merger talk had intensified following a series of high-profile meetings between the two parties' top leaders earlier this week.

What Venugopal Said

Addressing reporters, Venugopal said: 'These are totally rumours. Yesterday, our Communication Secretary had already stated that. These are baseless things. Of course, Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee went and met Madam (Sonia Gandhi) and Rahul Gandhi. Routine discussion.'

He was categorical that the meetings were part of ongoing INDIA bloc coordination, not merger talks. 'That is an extension of the INDIA bloc discussion. Because everybody wants to strengthen the INDIA bloc. Everybody wants to strengthen the fight against this anti-democratic government,' he said. 'We will go together in that way. That is the only point of discussion, nothing else.'

What Triggered the Speculation

The merger rumours gained traction after Mamata Banerjee held a one-to-one meeting with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday, followed by a separate one-to-one between Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Wednesday. The back-to-back meetings at the highest levels of both parties fuelled speculation of a possible re-merger — the two parties having once been part of the same political family before TMC's split from Congress in 1997.

However, Ritabrata Banerjee, leader of the majority bloc of the Trinamool Congress Legislative Party in the West Bengal Assembly and the official Leader of the Opposition in the House, also categorically denied any possibility of a re-merger.

Congress Launches Three-Month National Campaign

Separately, the Congress announced a three-month national-level campaign that will mobilise party leaders and workers across the country. The campaign will target issues including inflation, unemployment, exam scams, social inequality, and what the party described as weak diplomacy in the wake of the Gulf conflict.

'We are going for a national-level campaign for the coming three months. Every Congress leader and worker should be in the field and on the street,' Venugopal said.

Meenakshi Natarajan Nomination Row

Venugopal also addressed the cancellation of Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination. He said the rejection was on the grounds that she had not disclosed a court notice, but insisted there was no criminal case, no FIR, and no charge sheet against her. 'By citing that reason, Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination was cancelled, rejected,' he said, suggesting the move was procedurally questionable.

What to Watch

The Congress-TMC dynamic will remain under scrutiny as the INDIA bloc attempts to consolidate its opposition strategy ahead of upcoming state elections. Whether the alliance deepens into a structural arrangement — or stays a tactical understanding — will likely depend on seat-sharing negotiations in West Bengal and other key states.