A senior Trinamul Congress MP called on Bengal transport minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday amid murmurs that the meeting was held to break the ice with the 49-year-old who has been making his discontent with the party leadership clear for the past few months.

Suvendu’s comments and his prolonged absence from cabinet meetings and party programmes since May have fuelled speculation that he is all set to chart a different political path for himself. The Trinamul leadership has been trying to reach out to him, albeit silently, for the past three weeks.

“The senior MP spoke to Suvendu and reported back to the top brass. While all might not be lost yet, there was no breakthrough, nor any cause for more optimism,” said a source in the ruling party.

The two are slated to hold another round of talks on Saturday or Sunday.

The attempts to retain Suvendu — amid intense speculation over his joining the BJP or floating a new platform aligned to the NDA — are increasingly becoming a crucial consideration for Trinamul, as discordant voices from the party are now emerging in the public space.

A significant majority of the voices are primarily those upset with poll strategist Prashant Kishor and his role in the party.

“While Suvendu’s current position has little to do with PK, the minister’s disapproval of the strategist and his methods is no secret,” said a source.

Suvendu did not stay to meet Kishor, who paid a visit to the Adhikari residence in Contai on November 13. The strategist spoke to Sisir Adhikari, the 79-year-old patriarch of the political family.

“As the meeting with PK wasn’t held, the meeting with the senior MP was arranged to gauge Suvendu’s mood ahead of his proposed ‘mega’ rally at Ramnagar on Thursday,” said a source.

A Trinamul minister said: “Things seem to be a bit difficult for us at least for the time being for two reasons... The uncertainty over Suvendu’s next course of action is the primary concern while the discontent over PK’s way of functioning being the other woe.”

According to him, the situation now, with leader after leader making public statements against PK — Cooch Behar South MLA Mihir Goswami, Sitai MLA Jagadish Barma Basunia and Hariharpara MLA Niamot Sheikh only on Monday and Tuesday — demands firefighting from the very top.

“Didi has to handle this now, only her troubleshooting can work at this stage,” he said. According to him, Mamata, who steers clear of active political activity during the Kali Puja-Bhai Phonta phase, will step into the ring now.

“Expect a make-or-break phase over the next 15 days or so, as she herself handles it. Most of us are waiting with bated breath,” he added.