The Indian National Congress rejected media reports of a formal merger with the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) on June 11, 2024 [1].

This denial comes amid heightened political activity in West Bengal, where speculation regarding a union between the two parties had grown. A formal merger would significantly shift the balance of power within the opposition, making a clear statement on the party's current strategy essential for its regional allies.

KC Venugopal, a spokesperson for the Congress party, said the reports were baseless. He said that recent interactions between party leadership and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee were not focused on a merger. Instead, these meetings were intended to address issues of national importance and coordinate efforts against the current government.

"These meetings with Mamata Banerjee are routine India Alliance discussions to fight the govt," Venugopal said.

The party emphasized that its relationship with the TMC remains one of cooperation within a broader alliance rather than a structural integration. A separate party spokesperson said, "The Congress has no proposal for a merger with the Trinamool Congress; such reports are baseless."

The clarification follows a period of political turmoil in Bengal that sparked rumors of shifting loyalties and organizational changes. By distancing itself from the merger claims, the Congress party maintains its independent identity while continuing to collaborate with the TMC under the India Alliance framework. The party said the discussions were limited to strategic coordination and did not involve any formal proposal to combine the two political entities [1].

“"The Congress has no proposal for a merger with the Trinamool Congress; such reports are baseless."”

This denial reinforces the current structure of the India Alliance, where parties maintain separate organizational identities while coordinating on electoral strategy. By explicitly rejecting a merger, the Congress party avoids alienating other regional partners who might view a consolidated Congress-TMC bloc as a threat to their own influence within the coalition.