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TMC-Congress Unite Against BJP After EC Action: An Unlikely Alliance?
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News18•18-09-2026, 19:01
TMC-Congress Unite Against BJP After EC Action: An Unlikely Alliance?
- •A phone call between Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee signals a potential rapprochement between TMC and Congress, driven by shared concerns over the Election Commission.
- •Rahul Gandhi's focus on 'vote chori' and the EC's recent actions against TMC have created common ground, despite past animosity.
- •Mamata Banerjee, previously critical of Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc, is now discussing its revival, following a meeting with Kanimozhi.
- •The TMC withdrew its candidate in Nandigram to support the Congress candidate, Milan Pradhan, for the bypolls.
- •Bengal Congress cadres are unhappy, fearing a prolonged alliance with TMC could undermine their efforts to regain influence in the state, given their shared votebank and historical rivalry.
Key Questions Answered
A phone conversation between Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee brought the TMC and Congress together, largely driven by the Election Commission coming down heavily on the TMC and forcing a name and symbol change, aligning with Gandhi's political fight against the EC and vote chori.
Following the alliance, the TMC withdrew its Nandigram candidate, Sanchita Pradhan (Dey), and announced its support for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan.
Bengal Congress workers are apprehensive because the TMC and Congress virtually share the same votebank, and local cadre hoped to occupy the space and take revenge for past conflicts following the TMC's losses, fearing a long-term alliance would spell doom for their political chances in the state.
