‘True Partnership’: Rebel TMC MP Saayoni Ghosh Bats for TMC-Congress Alliance, Says It Will Send ‘Powerful Message’

Saayoni Ghosh Calls for TMC-Congress Alignment

Kolkata: Rebel Trinamool Congress MP Saayoni Ghosh has backed the possibility of an alliance between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Congress, saying that a formal alignment under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership would send a “powerful message” about cooperation between the two parties.

Ghosh, speaking to reporters in Kolkata on Saturday, said she hoped the Congress would align with the TMC under Gandhi's leadership.

She said such an arrangement would show that the alliance was a “genuine” and “true partnership”, rather than an understanding existing only in name.

Ghosh Is Now With NCPI

Ghosh's remarks come after a significant change in her political affiliation.

She was among 20 rebel TMC parliamentarians who merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) in June, according to reports. She is therefore currently associated with the NCPI, although her political background is with the TMC.

Her comments came amid renewed discussion about cooperation between the TMC and Congress in West Bengal.

Nandigram Bypoll Brings TMC and Congress Together

The comments also come against the backdrop of the Nandigram Assembly by-election, scheduled for October 6.

The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction had initially fielded Sanchita Pradhan Dey from Nandigram. She subsequently withdrew her nomination, after which the faction announced support for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan.

The Nandigram contest then took another turn when Pradhan was arrested in connection with pending cases. The arrest has become a political issue, with opposition leaders questioning its timing, while the legal proceedings concerning the cases remain separate from the political allegations surrounding the arrest.

Saayoni Ghosh on Milan Pradhan's Arrest

Asked about Pradhan's arrest, Ghosh said she was aware that there were pending cases against the Congress candidate.

She described the matter as one involving political parties and pointed out that parties have the option of approaching the Election Commission or the courts.

Ghosh also said that, in a democratic system, the Congress, TMC and BJP all have the right to exercise their political and legal rights.

Mamata Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi's Recent Contact

The discussion over possible TMC-Congress cooperation follows recent contact between Mamata Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi.

According to reports, Gandhi spoke with Banerjee after the Election Commission's interim decision concerning the names and symbols of rival TMC factions. Banerjee subsequently announced support for the Congress candidate in Nandigram.

Congress has also criticised the arrest of Milan Pradhan, with Gandhi alleging that the timing was politically motivated. Those statements are political allegations and have not been established as judicial findings.

TMC's Election Symbol Dispute

The developments are taking place amid an ongoing dispute over the identity and election symbol of the two rival TMC factions.

For the October 6 bypolls, the Election Commission allotted the Mamata Banerjee-led faction the name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” and a football-player symbol, according to reports.

The electoral dispute has added another layer to the political developments in Nandigram and Rejinagar ahead of polling.

What Saayoni Ghosh's Statement Means

Ghosh's comments represent her stated preference for closer cooperation between the TMC and Congress. They do not, by themselves, establish that the two parties have reached a formal alliance.

For now, the most concrete example of cooperation is the Mamata-led faction's decision to support Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in Nandigram following the withdrawal of its own candidate.

The Nandigram bypoll is scheduled for October 6, with the contest unfolding amid the wider dispute involving the rival TMC factions and discussions about opposition coordination in West Bengal.