Adhir Ranjan’s ‘Mamata, come back’ pitch:Invites ex-Bengal CM to rejoin Congress; urges high command to make her state unit chief

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday invited Mamata Banerjee to rejoin the Congress. Speaking in Murshidabad, he told Mamata that she should join the Congress along with the remaining TMC MLAs and MPs. Chowdhury said the Congress was ready to accept Mamata Banerjee’s leadership in Bengal and work with her. He also urged the Congress high command to take steps in this direction. Adhir Ranjan asked Mamata Banerjee to take an initiative similar to the October 6 Nandigram Assembly by-election and support the Congress candidate in Rejinagar as well. Chowdhury said there had already been separate rebellions in the TMC’s legislative and parliamentary parties. Therefore, he said, there was no longer any need for the party to maintain a separate organisation. Mamata Banerjee left Congress in 1998 and formed the TMC. In 2011, the party ended the Left Front’s 34-year rule. The TMC remained in power for 15 years. After the 2026 Assembly election, the BJP is running the government. TMC says it will consider proposal if officially made On Mamata joining the INDIA bloc, Adhir said, “When she has sought the support of the Congress-led bloc, she should join the party.” Chowdhury asked Mamata Banerjee to leave her burden behind and join the Congress. This was seen as a reference to her nephew and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. However, TMC MP Saugata Roy said the party would consider such a proposal only if it came formally from the Congress leadership. Roy said, “Chowdhury said what he felt. We have nothing to say about it. The TMC is now a separate party. If the Congress brings an official proposal, we will discuss it within the party. The TMC is completely part of the INDIA bloc.” On Chowdhury’s “burden” remark, Roy said no decision could be taken about the party without Abhishek Banerjee. “He is our leader and national general secretary,” he said. BJP says TMC has lost its political purpose The BJP said the conversation between the Congress and TMC showed that the Trinamool Congress had lost its political purpose. BJP West Bengal spokesperson Debjit Sarkar said, “The TMC was born when it broke away from the Congress to fight the CPI(M). The TMC came to power on this very issue.” He said, “Now that the TMC itself is out of power, it has no other purpose left. Whether they join the Congress or not is their decision. We are ready to fight the Congress, TMC and CPI(M).” Mamata faction supporting Congress in Nandigram In Nandigram, a candidate from Mamata Banerjee’s faction withdrew from the contest after meeting West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. After the faction was left without a candidate, Mamata Banerjee announced her support for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan. The development came hours after the Election Commission allotted new names and election symbols to rival TMC factions. A dispute over the identity of the original party is continuing between the two factions. TMC MLAs and MPs rebel after Assembly election In the 2026 Assembly election, the TMC won 80 seats in the 294-member Assembly. Within weeks of the election results, a split also emerged in the TMC legislature party. Fifty-eight rebel MLAs backed expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition. The Speaker recognised the group. Following this, a rebellion also began within the TMC parliamentary party. Rebel MPs challenged Mamata Banerjee’s leadership. Meanwhile, the group of rebel MPs has moved closer to the lesser-known NCPI. The group has extended support to the NDA at the Centre. The dispute is now centred on the TMC’s political identity, leadership and future. TMC was formed after breaking away from Congress Chowdhury’s proposal is also linked to the TMC’s political history. Mamata Banerjee broke away from the Congress in 1998 and formed the TMC. The party then ended the Left Front’s 34-year rule in 2011. The TMC remained in power for 15 years. After the 2026 Assembly election, the BJP is running the government.