12 Congress MLAs in Meghalaya join Trinamool Congress

SHILLONG: In a major setback for Congress, at least 12 of the 18 party MLAs led by Opposition leader Mukul Sangma have joined Trinamool Congress (TMC), said party sources.

Trinamool Congress's Rajya Sabha Member Sushmita Dev and a close associate of Sangma separately told IANS that the opposition leader along with 11 other Congress MLAs have joined the Trinamool Congress on late Wednesday night.

Of the 12 Congress legislators who joined the Trinamool, eight MLAs are from Garo Hills, while four lawmakers are from Khasi Jaintia hills.

With the latest political development, despite not winning any seat in 2018 Assembly elections to the 60-member Assembly, the Trinamool Congress became the main opposition party in Meghalaya house.

Former Meghalaya Chief Minister Sangma is said to be upset over the appointment of Shillong Lok Sabha Member Vincent H. Pala as the state Congress President in September.

Sangma reportedly met Trinamool's National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata last month triggering speculation amid a reported rift within the Congress in the northeastern state. Sangma had termed it as a courtesy meeting.

The 12 MLAs are Mukul Sangma (Songsak), Charles Pyngrope (Nongthymmai), Himalaya Shangpliang (Mawsynram), George B Lyngdoh (Umroi), Shitlang Pale (Sutnga-Saipung), Dikkanchi D Shira (Mahendraganj), Miani D Shira (Ampati), Zenith Sangma (Rangsakona), Marthon J Sangma (Mendipathar), Jimmy D Sangma (Tikrikilla), Winnerson D Sangma (Salmanpara) and Lazarus M Sangma (Chokpot). The strength of the Congress, which was the main opposition party in the assembly since the 2018 polls, has now been reduced to five as other MLAs have either died or left the party.

With the latest political development a triangular contest is in the offing in the 2023 assembly elections between the ruling National People's Party (NPP) led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) in which the two-member Bharatiya Janata Party is an ally, the Congress and the TMC.

The latest political development in the northeast state is a major boost for West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, who after the March-April Assembly election success in her state, has been trying to expand her party's footprint beyond Bengal. Meghalaya is the newest state as Bengal's ruling party in its expansion mission mainly at the expense of the Congress, has made inroads in Tripura, Goa, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana.(IANS)

Also Read: Ex-CM Mukul Sangma and 11 Other Congress MLAs Joins TMC in Meghalaya

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