<p>Guwahati: Despite being the largest opposition party, Trinamool Congress in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/meghalaya-india">Meghalaya </a>has decided to skip elections to two powerful autonomous councils, scheduled on February 21.</p><p>Meghalaya is the second state where Mamata Banerjee-led party is prominent, other being Bengal, where the party has been in power for several years. </p><p>Announcing the decision, TMC's state unit president and former CM Mukul Sangma told reporters in Shillong that the party decided to concentrate on strengthening its bases before contesting elections. </p><p>“We have taken a conscious decision that it is not necessary for us to fight every election, particularly district council election, because we are revisiting how we can further strengthen the party, particularly at the grassroots level,” Sangma said.</p> .After a decade of NGT ban, Meghalaya approves permission for scientific coal mining.<p>The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council will go to polls on February 21. All major political parties, barring the TMC, are contesting.</p><p>Sangma said that it was necessary for the party to look at the "practicality," in the absence of a proper organisation at the grassroots level. Sangma's statement, party insiders said, pointed to the weakening support base for the Bengal-born party in the tribal-dominated Meghalaya.</p><p>TMC was not known much in Meghalaya till 2021, when 12 Congress MLAs led by Mukul Sangma shifted their allegiance to the Mamata Banerjee-led party in November 2021, thus dramatically making it the state’s principal opposition party. </p> .<p>Sangma was confident of wresting power from the Conrad Sangma-led National People's Party (NPP) but won only five seats in the elections held for 60-member Assembly in February 2023. </p><p>The elections, however, made TMC the biggest opposition party, followed by Voice of the People Party (four MLAs) and Congress (only one). But VPP"s victory in one of the two Lok Sabha seats (Shillong) in 2024 made many grassroots leaders disillusioned with the party now grappling with a dwindling support base. </p>
<p>Guwahati: Despite being the largest opposition party, Trinamool Congress in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/meghalaya-india">Meghalaya </a>has decided to skip elections to two powerful autonomous councils, scheduled on February 21.</p><p>Meghalaya is the second state where Mamata Banerjee-led party is prominent, other being Bengal, where the party has been in power for several years. </p><p>Announcing the decision, TMC's state unit president and former CM Mukul Sangma told reporters in Shillong that the party decided to concentrate on strengthening its bases before contesting elections. </p><p>“We have taken a conscious decision that it is not necessary for us to fight every election, particularly district council election, because we are revisiting how we can further strengthen the party, particularly at the grassroots level,” Sangma said.</p> .After a decade of NGT ban, Meghalaya approves permission for scientific coal mining.<p>The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council will go to polls on February 21. All major political parties, barring the TMC, are contesting.</p><p>Sangma said that it was necessary for the party to look at the "practicality," in the absence of a proper organisation at the grassroots level. Sangma's statement, party insiders said, pointed to the weakening support base for the Bengal-born party in the tribal-dominated Meghalaya.</p><p>TMC was not known much in Meghalaya till 2021, when 12 Congress MLAs led by Mukul Sangma shifted their allegiance to the Mamata Banerjee-led party in November 2021, thus dramatically making it the state’s principal opposition party. </p> .<p>Sangma was confident of wresting power from the Conrad Sangma-led National People's Party (NPP) but won only five seats in the elections held for 60-member Assembly in February 2023. </p><p>The elections, however, made TMC the biggest opposition party, followed by Voice of the People Party (four MLAs) and Congress (only one). But VPP"s victory in one of the two Lok Sabha seats (Shillong) in 2024 made many grassroots leaders disillusioned with the party now grappling with a dwindling support base. </p>