00:00Very good afternoon once again and thank you for staying with India today. I'm Suwesha Saman, cutting across to breaking
00:04news coming in Congress, rubbishing TMC merger rumours.
00:09That's a statement that has come in from KC Venu Gopal where he said that Congress and TMC merger claims
00:14are absolutely baseless.
00:16He said that Congress-TMC need was to discuss national issues.
00:21KC Venu Gopal, when he spoke on the TMC Congress possibility of merger following that meeting that had happened between
00:30Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee saying that these are baseless rumours.
00:33The meeting between TMC and Congress leaders was only to discuss raising the national issues in a more effective manner.
00:41Let me take this to my colleague Rahul Gautam who's with us on the phone line.
00:44Rahul, lots has been spoken about that meeting that happened between Mamata Banerjee and Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and
00:49Abhishek Banerjee.
00:51Of also how the TMC was finding ways and looking for legal remedies to revive itself back.
00:57But KC Venu Gopal, rubbishing any speculation on Congress-TMC merger?
01:04Well, it seems that at the point of the question, Congress has rejected all these speculations or news reports suggesting
01:11that there might be a merger between TMC and Congress.
01:14And in the same context, KC Venu Gopal, who is the General Secretary of Organization of the Congress Party, put
01:23in clear words that Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata Banerjee, they both discussed the possibilities for India block in Bengal at central
01:32level.
01:32And, you know, they also sought greater cooperation from Congress parties on multiple issues.
01:39And there's nothing much to read between the lines as far as what there is concerned.
01:44So, clearly, it seems that officially Congress Party is denying all such developments.
01:51But we have to really wait and watch as to how TMC will respond on these things because there hasn't
01:59been much, you know, word on this from their side.
02:03But as far as Congress is concerned, they are debunking all the news reports suggesting that there might be a
02:10merger.
02:11In fact, what we are learning from our sources is that there is a possibility that the two parties might
02:18come for an alliance or for an electoral understanding in the state of Bengal before the election.
02:26But, again, that also needs to be officially communicated by the two leaders for which we have to, you know,
02:32wait and watch.
02:34Rahul, what more are you seeking from your, I beg your pardon, picking up from your sources on the sort
02:38of help that Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee may be seeking from the Congress at this point?
02:45Well, we all know that TMC is all-time low because of the fact that it is imploding from inside.
02:52And, you know, as many as 20 MPs have gone rebel, you know, in the lower house, Lok Sabha.
02:58And, you know, every day we are seeing, you know, resignations coming in from Rajasaba members as well.
03:09So, clearly, there is a turmoil within the ranks and 5s of TMC.
03:15And, therefore, they are seeking support, political support, moral support from the principal opposition party, that's Congress party.
03:23And, obviously, they would want the leader of the opposition, that's Rahul Banerjee, to be on their side.
03:28So, clearly, they are seeking anti-discipline greater cooperation from Congress.
03:31All right, we'll listen in to what KC Veenu Gopal has said on this matter.
04:01We want to strengthen the fight against this anti-democratic government.
04:05You know, we will go together in that way.
04:07That is only the discussion point, nothing else.
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