Sonia Gandhi urges Mamata to strengthen ties with Congress; Mamata advocates for greater unity among opposition forces

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has urged Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee to strengthen cooperation with the Congress as the TMC grapples with internal dissent and reports of defections. Mamata Banerjee met Sonia Gandhi at her Janpath residence in New Delhi on Tuesday. According to sources, Sonia emphasised the need for closer coordination between the Congress and the TMC in the run-up to key political battles ahead.

Mamata had arrived in the national capital on Monday to attend a meeting of leaders of the INDIA alliance. Following the meeting, she held talks with Sonia Gandhi. On Wednesday, Mamata and her nephew, TMC national general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee, also met Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi for discussions. The meetings sparked speculation about a possible merger between the TMC and the Congress. However, leaders from both parties swiftly dismissed the reports.

Sources said Sonia Gandhi sought stronger support from the TMC in the opposition's campaign against the BJP and encouraged the party to play a more active role within the INDIA alliance. Discussions between Rahul Gandhi and Abhishek Banerjee reportedly focused on strengthening opposition unity and charting strategies for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Mamata Banerjee, who has in the past openly criticised several opposition parties, including the Congress, has recently advocated for greater unity among opposition forces. She has argued that parties within the opposition bloc should refrain from publicly attacking one another. Her outreach to senior Congress leaders comes at a time when the TMC is facing internal challenges, with reports of some legislators and MPs leaving the party, adding to concerns over its organisational stability.