Leaders Push For ‘Akhand’ Congress As Mamata, Pawar Merger Talks Grow

Speculation over a possible political realignment within India’s opposition space has intensified after senior leaders suggested that several regional parties, including the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP), could consider rejoining the Congress. The remarks have triggered a fresh round of debate, even as the Congress leadership publicly downplayed any immediate possibility of merger talks.

The discussion gained traction after Congress Organisation General Secretary KC Venugopal dismissed reports of a TMC merger as “baseless rumours.” However, Maharashtra Congress leader Nana Patole added fuel to the speculation, claiming that “like-minded parties” were preparing for a merger rather than forming alliances. Patole suggested that leaders such as Sharad Pawar and Mamata Banerjee were “making up their minds” for a unified political structure under the Congress umbrella.

Patole further claimed that discussions involving the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) had been ongoing, stating that Sharad Pawar had earlier put forward a proposal for merger, which was delayed due to unspecified reasons. He argued that current political circumstances were pushing opposition parties with “secular and pluralistic ideologies” towards consolidation, though he did not provide concrete evidence or timelines for such a move.

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The remarks have been echoed in varying forms by other political leaders. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut recently urged Sharad Pawar to take the lead in bringing smaller parties that originated from the Congress back into a unified structure. NCP-SP leader Supriya Sule responded cautiously, saying it was premature to comment on such proposals, using a metaphorical remark that suggested waiting for clearer political developments before drawing conclusions.

Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also weighed in, supporting the idea of reunification of breakaway parties with the Congress. He emphasised that such a consolidation would strengthen opposition unity under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, arguing that a clearer national opposition structure could help present a stronger challenge to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in future elections.

Despite the growing political chatter, both Mamata Banerjee and Sharad Pawar have not publicly confirmed any intention to rejoin the Congress. The Trinamool Congress and NCP were formed after splitting from the Congress in 1998 and 1999 respectively, and both have since played significant roles in regional and national politics. Meanwhile, Congress sources maintain that any formal merger proposal must originate from the concerned parties, indicating that discussions remain speculative at this stage.

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