# Kanimozhi and Mamata Banerjee Secret Meeting Sparks Third Front Buzz As Regional Parties Drift Away From Congress > A closed-door meeting between Mamata Banerjee and DMK leader Kanimozhi in Kolkata has fueled speculation about a potential third front, bypassing Congress amid growing friction within the opposition alliance. **Type:** article · **Category:** Politics · **Published:** 2026-09-18 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/politics/kanimozhi-aura-mamata-banerjee-secret-meeting-sparks-third-front-buzz-as-regional-parties-drift-away-from-congress-33132 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Mamata Banerjee, Kanimozhi, INDIA alliance, Third Front, DMK, Congress, West Bengal politics Political dynamics in West Bengal are shifting rapidly ahead of upcoming by-elections, marked by a flurry of simultaneous political developments. Among the most notable is a roughly 90-minute secret meeting between former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and DMK leader Kanimozhi. While various political interpretations are being drawn from this interaction, the possibility of forming a third front excluding Congress stands out as a major talking point. Although no formal announcement has been made by either camp, murmurs of an alternative alliance taking shape without Congress are growing louder. Discontent with Congress is reportedly widespread, with the DMK, Mamata Banerjee, and Sharad Pawar all said to be unhappy with the party's approach. In this context, Kanimozhi appears to be actively working to unite powerful regional forces. It comes as little surprise that regional strongmen might forge a new coalition, sidelining Congress ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections. ## The Closed-Door Meeting in Kolkata DMK MP and senior leader Kanimozhi held a closed-door meeting with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata, intensifying speculation about a potential third front in national politics. This discussion comes at a time when friction between the DMK and Congress has escalated, raising doubts about the future of the opposition INDIA alliance. While there is no official confirmation that any new alliance was finalized during the talks, reports indicate that Kanimozhi arrived at Banerjee's Kalighat residence in south Kolkata at around 3:40 PM on Thursday and departed roughly an hour and a half later. According to a TMC leader, the two leaders discussed multiple issues behind closed doors, though the specifics of the conversation were not made public. ## Kanimozhi Outreach to Other Regional Heavyweights Prior to meeting Banerjee, Kanimozhi held a series of consultations with various regional leaders. She traveled to Mumbai to meet Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, accompanied by party MPs Anil Desai and Milind Narvekar. Discussions reportedly covered delimitation proposals, opposition strategy, and the role of regional parties within the INDIA bloc. Subsequently, Kanimozhi met Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar and his daughter, MP Supriya Sule, in New Delhi. These meetings are widely viewed as concerted efforts to build stronger coordination among regional factions. ## Tensions Over By-Elections and Changing Dynamics Meanwhile, the upcoming by-elections for the Nandighat and Rejinagar assembly seats in West Bengal, scheduled for October 6, add significant weight to the current political equations. Both the TMC and Congress have fielded their own candidates for these seats. While earlier reports suggested that the TMC had offered a seat arrangement to Congress regarding Nandighat, the TMC later denied making any such offer. Relations between the DMK and Congress have shifted following the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, with the DMK skipping an INDIA bloc meeting in June. Against this backdrop, Kanimozhi is actively engaging with regional leaders to recalibrate opposition dynamics. ## What this means for you The ongoing political realignment among opposition parties could significantly impact upcoming elections and national political dynamics. - **Across India:** Growing friction between Congress and regional parties may alter the strategic unity of the opposition in upcoming national polls. Speculation surrounding a regional third front could rapidly reshape electoral equations nationwide. - **In West Bengal:** Amid upcoming assembly by-elections and local political maneuvering, Mamata Banerjee's moves will directly influence state politics. With both TMC and Congress fielding separate candidates, the local electoral contest has intensified. ## Why this happened Several underlying political factors explain the growing friction within the opposition alliance and the sudden outreach among regional parties. - **Dissatisfaction with Congress:** Powerful regional factions including the DMK, TMC, and NCP have reportedly been unhappy with Congress's leadership approach and electoral stance. - **Post-Poll Shift in Tamil Nadu:** Relations between the DMK and Congress underwent noticeable changes following the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, leading the DMK to skip an INDIA bloc meeting in June. - **By-Election Clashes:** The decision by both TMC and Congress to field separate candidates for assembly seats in West Bengal has brought their underlying differences out into the open. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. Where did the meeting between Mamata Banerjee and Kanimozhi take place? The closed-door meeting took place at Mamata Banerjee's residence in Kalighat, south Kolkata. ### 2. How long did the meeting last? The secret meeting between Kanimozhi and Mamata Banerjee lasted for approximately one and a half hours. ### 3. When are the by-elections scheduled in West Bengal? The assembly by-elections in West Bengal are scheduled to take place on October 6. ### 4. Which other regional leaders did Kanimozhi meet prior to visiting Kolkata? Kanimozhi met Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai and Sharad Pawar in New Delhi. ### 5. Was there any official announcement regarding a new alliance? No, there was no official confirmation of any decision regarding a new alliance following the meeting. --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._