Congress' Nana Patole urged opposition parties to unite with Congress to save the country from the BJP. He claimed the process has begun, but KC Venugopal clarified that talks with TMC are for INDIA Alliance unity, dismissing merger rumours.
Patole Urges Parties to Unite with Congress
Congress leader Nana Patole on Friday said political parties across the country should unite with the Congress, stating that the nation's constitutional institutions are under threat under the BJP-led central government. Speaking to the reporters here, Patole said, "Now, many people feel that the way the BJP government at the center has worked to dismantle constitutional institutions. The country needs to be saved, and it can only be saved by joining hands with the Congress."

He further added that opposition leaders need unity, noting, "This has now become clear to the parties in different states. Whether it's Mamata Banerjee, Sharad Pawar, everyone feels that to save the country, they should join the Congress, and that process has now begun."
KC Venugopal Dismisses TMC Merger Rumours
Meanwhile, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal on Thursday dismissed speculation regarding a potential merger between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Congress, terming such claims as "baseless rumours." Speaking at a press conference, Venugopal clarified that recent high-level meetings, including talks between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and separate discussions between TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi, were strictly routine. He emphasised that the primary focus of these interactions remains a unified front to "strengthen the fight against this anti-democratic government."
"These are totally rumours. Our communication secretary already stated that these are baseless things. Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee held routine discussions when they met Madam (Sonia Gandhi) and Rahul Gandhi. That's an extension of the India Alliance discussion, because everybody wants to strengthen India Alliance. Everybody wants to strengthen the fight against this anti-democratic government. We will go together in that way, that is only the discussion point, nothing else," he said. (ANI)
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