Meghalaya: Trinamool faces challenge of  keeping flock intact

GUWAHATI:  Months after becoming Meghalaya’s main opposition party overnight through a “political coup” that saw 12 Congress MLAs shifting allegiance to it, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) now faces the challenge of keeping its flock together in the poll-bound state.

Murmurs are rife that three-four MLAs will ditch TMC and contest the polls – expected to take place in February – on the tickets of the United Democratic Party (UDP), which is a key constituent of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA). The names of Himalaya Shangpliang and Shitlang Pale are doing the rounds in this context. The duo, however, is maintaining a stony silence.

The UDP said it was approached by some MLAs, but the decision would be taken at the highest level. TMC state president Charles Pyngrope expressed ignorance about it. The UDP apparently also wants Pyngrope on board. He said he has heard about it but nobody has approached him. According to observers, the TMC has managed to set up its base in Garo Hills and is in a position to give the NPP, which heads the MDA, a run for its money in the polls.

 However, it is a different situation in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills where the TMC has minimal acceptance due to the perception that it is a “Bangla party” controlled from Kolkata. It is struggling to build its base here.
Observers feel that by the time the state goes to polls, the TMC may not have any MLAs in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills. The party’s virtual second-in-command, Abhishek Banerjee, is visiting the state on June 16 to inaugurate the state office and hold meetings with the cadre. 

Challenges ahead 

The TMC has minimal acceptance in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills due to the perception that it is a “Bangla party” controlled from Kolkata. It is struggling to build its base here.