Will Mamata Banerjee merge TMC with Congress? Kalyan Banerjee clarifies

Kolkata: Speculation regarding a merger between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Congress party intensified after several TMC MPs and MLAs turned rebellious. These rumors gained further momentum when Mamata Banerjee met Sonia Gandhi and Abhishek Banerjee met Rahul Gandhi during recent visits to Delhi.

What did Kalyan Banerjee say? 

Now, senior TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee—considered a close aide of Mamata Banerjee—has clarified the situation. 

He stated that the TMC will not merge with the Congress. Meanwhile, Kalyan has also adopted a changed stance regarding Mamata Banerjee's nephew, Abhishek, describing him as being like a son to him.
 

Addressing reports of a merger, senior TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee said, "The party is not merging with the Congress." He also spoke about the rebel MPs who are preparing to approach Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

He remarked, "Let them do what they want. They will ultimately have to seek refuge with the BJP. This is all a ploy. They cite the development of their constituencies as a reason, but how can those who cannot even visit their constituencies carry out any work? Democracy has ended in West Bengal. What development has taken place in the last month, even after discussions with the CM? The BJP is harassing us, and the police are harassing us. No opposition in West Bengal has ever faced a situation like the one we are facing. The BJP will not accept the 19 MPs who are defecting to it."

What did Kirti Azad say? 

Earlier, TMC MP Kirti Azad had also dismissed reports of a potential merger between the TMC and the Congress as incorrect, reiterating that the party would contest the upcoming elections as part of an alliance.

Speaking to the news agency ANI in the national capital, Azad said, "There will be no merger; these are all false reports. The election will be contested as an alliance, and the alliance will remain intact." Prior to this, the top leadership of the Congress had also dismissed such speculation.

How did Kalyan Banerjee describe Abhishek Banerjee? 

After previously targeting Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee sharply, Kalyan Banerjee has adopted a conciliatory stance. On Saturday, he described Abhishek as being like a son to him and stated that it is a father's duty to forgive a son's mistakes.

He said, "He is like my son. It is a father's job to forgive a son's mistakes. Democracy in the country is in danger. West Bengal has never witnessed a situation where the opposition was completely wiped out; this poses a threat to democracy.

Just 24 hours earlier, Kalyan Banerjee had lashed out at Abhishek Banerjee, accusing him of adopting an arrogant attitude. He had announced his decision to withdraw from all legal matters concerning the Diamond Harbour MP and had even issued an ultimatum to party chief Mamata Banerjee, asking her to choose between her nephew and senior leaders like himself.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the party's top leadership at Mamata Banerjee's Kalighat residence, Abhishek said, "Kalyan Banerjee has known me since childhood. He is a senior party leader. He has every right to say a few harsh words to me. There is no need to create an unnecessary controversy over this." Meanwhile, reacting to Abhishek's statement, Kalyan Banerjee told PTI, "I welcome his statement. He is like my son. It is good that he has realized his mistake. We all need to work and fight together against the BJP."