The Trinamool Congress is facing a severe internal crisis marked by senior resignations and open rebellion following its electoral defeat in West Bengal [1].
This instability threatens the party's structural integrity and has reignited discussions about a potential merger with the Congress party. Such a move would represent a full circle for Mamata Banerjee, who originally left the Congress in the 1990s [2].
The turmoil began after the BJP secured victory in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections [1]. This result triggered a wave of defections and internal dissent among party members [3]. The scale of the rebellion has led to intense speculation regarding the future of the party's leadership and its strategic direction in the region [2].
Banerjee recently returned to Kolkata after a two-day visit to Delhi [2]. Her return comes as the party attempts to manage the fallout from the losses and the subsequent exodus of senior officials [2]. The atmosphere in West Bengal remains tense as the party navigates these internal fractures.
Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose addressed the crisis in a discussion with NDTV. She said the party leader plays a central role in the organization's survival.
"There is no Trinamool Congress without Mamata Banerjee," Ghose said [3].
While the party has not officially confirmed a merger with the Congress, the current instability has made the possibility a central point of political discourse [2]. The rebellion within the party ranks suggests a significant shift in the political landscape of West Bengal following the 2026 results [1].
“There is no Trinamool Congress without Mamata Banerjee.”
The 2026 election results have stripped the Trinamool Congress of its perceived invincibility in West Bengal, creating a power vacuum that encourages internal rebellion. A potential merger with the Congress party would be a strategic attempt to consolidate the opposition against the BJP, but it would require Banerjee to reconcile with the party she left decades ago to maintain her own political autonomy.
