TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee meets Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi amidst rising rebellion within party

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee held a meeting here on Wednesday, amid efforts by the opposition INDIA bloc to strengthen coordination and maintain unity. The meeting at 10 Janpath took place a day after Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee met former Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her residence and discussed ways to further consolidate the opposition alliance.

Sources said Wednesday's meeting between Gandhi and Abhishek Banerjee is being seen as part of the ongoing engagement between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress following discussions at the INDIA bloc meeting held in Delhi earlier this week. While details of the meeting were not immediately available, it comes at a time when the Trinamool Congress is faced with a rebellion within its ranks following its defeat in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections.

At the INDIA bloc meeting on Monday, opposition leaders emphasised the need for greater coordination and unity among alliance partners in taking on the BJP. Mamata Banerjee had urged constituents of the alliance to set aside differences and work together on issues concerning the public.