Trinamool Congress leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has turned to the Congress party as her organization faces severe internal turmoil. Following a wave of defections after the state assembly elections, twenty Trinamool MPs in the Lok Sabha have declared support for the ruling NDA alliance. In the Rajya Sabha, senior leaders such as Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Sushmita Dev have resigned, with Dev also quitting the party and meeting Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, fueling speculation of her joining the BJP. In the state assembly, 64 legislators led by Ritabrata have rebelled, leaving the party’s parliamentary and legislative strength in crisis.

Amid this upheaval, Mamata Banerjee met Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Monday and again on Tuesday for a private discussion. The next day, Trinamool’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee met Rahul Gandhi for a one-and-a-half-hour meeting described as positive. Sources indicate discussions focused on uniting against the BJP and addressing the party’s internal collapse. Sonia Gandhi reportedly offered Mamata a vice-president role in Congress and Abhishek a general secretary post.

Analysts suggest these developments could reshape India’s political landscape ahead of the 2029 general election.