CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG: Congress MP from the Tura Lok Sabha constituency, Saleng A. Sangma, on Wednesday indicated that if the Congress leadership in New Delhi decides to accommodate the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Meghalaya unit would have little option but to welcome former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Dr Mukul Sangma back into the party fold.
Emphasising that such decisions are determined by the national leadership rather than state leaders, Saleng Sangma said, "If Delhi accepts TMC there in Delhi itself, then I don't have any say on Dr Mukul Sangma being part of Congress. Definitely, we have to accept him. It's not about Dr Mukul or anybody, it's about the party in Delhi itself."
His remarks come amid heightened political speculation following reports that senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has urged TMC chief Mamata Banerjee to work closely with the Congress to strengthen Opposition unity against the BJP.
The discussions are believed to have gained momentum after a recent meeting of INDIA bloc leaders in New Delhi, where alliance partners reportedly stressed the need for greater coordination among Opposition parties.
Describing the developments as recent and still evolving, Saleng Sangma said, "This is the recent development. We don't know yet because I have not been to Delhi." Political circles have also been abuzz with speculation over the future of the TMC amid reports of internal dissent and possible defections. Mamata Banerjee's prolonged stay in New Delhi, her nephew Abhishek Banerjee's meeting with Rahul Gandhi and her interaction with Sonia Gandhi have further fuelled discussions over closer cooperation between the two parties.
Sources, however, indicated that the current focus remains on strengthening Opposition coordination within the INDIA bloc and mounting a united challenge to the BJP rather than exploring any formal merger between the Congress and the TMC.
Commenting on developments within the TMC, Saleng Sangma declined to offer any opinion.
"TMC is there in Meghalaya, as it is there in West Bengal. Just because West Bengal is having differences within themselves, I cannot talk on behalf of TMC," he said.
The developments have revived debate over the possibility of Mamata Banerjee's political "ghar wapsi" nearly three decades after she severed ties with the Congress. Banerjee founded the Trinamool Congress in 1997 after leaving the Congress, and the latest engagement between the two parties has once again triggered discussions over the future course of Opposition politics and its implications for states such as Meghalaya.
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