Kolkata, Sep 17: Senior DMK leader and Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi met Trinamool Congress chief and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at her residence in Kalighat, Kolkata, on Thursday, according to a TMC leader.
The meeting was held behind closed doors, with details of the discussions not immediately disclosed. A TMC leader said several issues were discussed during the interaction, but neither side officially elaborated on the subjects taken up.
Kanimozhi’s Kolkata visit comes days after she held separate discussions with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai and NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar in Delhi. The series of meetings has attracted attention amid differences between the DMK and Congress and continuing tensions among several regional parties associated with the opposition INDIA bloc.
The DMK-Congress relationship has faced renewed strain following developments in Tamil Nadu politics. The Congress ended its longstanding alliance with the DMK and joined hands with actor politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), according to reports. The DMK had also stayed away from an INDIA bloc meeting in June.
At the national level, the TMC and Congress remain constituents of the INDIA bloc, although their political relationship in West Bengal has remained contentious. The two parties are also contesting separately in the October 6 bypolls to Nandigram and Rejinagar. Reports of a possible understanding over Nandigram have emerged, but the TMC has denied claims that it offered to leave the seat for the Congress.
The political backdrop in West Bengal has also changed significantly. The BJP came to power in the state in 2026, ending the TMC’s 15-year tenure in government. The TMC has subsequently faced internal disputes, including developments involving sections of its legislative and parliamentary ranks.
Against this backdrop, Kanimozhi’s recent outreach to regional leaders has triggered discussion about the future coordination of non-Congress opposition parties. However, there has been no official announcement of a new political formation, and reports about a possible separate regional grouping remain speculative.