Meghalaya polls: TMC promises to revoke border pact signed with Assam in manifesto

The TMC said Meghalaya would be run by sons and daughters of Meghalaya's soil and not by leaders from Delhi or Guwahati

Trinamool Congress' (TMC) manifesto for the upcoming Meghalaya Assembly elections has promised to revoke the border pact signed with neighbouring Assam and assured that the state would be run by local leaders, not by those from Delhi or Guwahati.

The manifesto, released on Tuesday, also promised to take steps for the inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution as demanded by the two ethnic communities, revoke the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act 2021, resume mining in the state by formulating scientific mining policy, form of an expert committee to resolve the demand for Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state among others.

The manifesto was released by Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee in Shillong in the presence of senior leaders including former CM Mukul Sangma and president of the TMC's Meghalaya unit, Charlse Pyngrope.

Also read | Trinamool is outsider in Meghalaya like they called BJP in Bengal: NPP chief Conrad Sangma

In March last year, the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government signed a MoU with Assam to resolve disputes in six out of 12 sites, which remained a worry for nearly 50 years. Efforts to resolve the disputes in remaining sites, however, hit a hurdle after six persons were killed along Assam-Meghalaya border in firing by police and forest guards from Assam in November.

The TMC also promised at least four cash transfer benefit schemes for women, farmers, unemployed youths and families of children enrolled in government-run schools. It promised to provide Rs 1,000 per month to women and unemployed youths (between 21 to 40 years). It also promised Rs 1,200 per year to families of children enrolled in government schools and financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per year to farmers in the state.

Promising a double-digit economic growth of Meghalaya, the manifesto said individuals involved in the tourism sector would be institutionalised by enrolling them in government job cards with a monthly honorarium of Rs. 2,500. It also promised a 100 per cent increase in budgetary allocation for the tourism sector, one of the major sources of jobs in the state.

"A holistic Village Administration Bill in consultation with the ADCs and traditional headmen to be introduced to uphold and protect the traditional institutions, effective and immediate implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016 across the state to ensure a comprehensive registry of all legal tenants," said the manifesto.

Cultural plurality

Meghalaya TMC promised that cultural plurality and vibrance of Meghalaya would be protected against the divisive forces that plague the state. "Meghalaya TMC believes in upholding the cultural plurality and diversity of the state and safeguarding it from attempts of homogenisation. We will safeguard Meghalaya’s religious and social identity and its prized ethnic practices from all divisive forces that aim to desecrate it," it said.

The promise to run Meghalaya by local leaders comes a day after Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and president of National People's Party (NPP) termed TMC as an "outsider" and said Mamata Banerjee's party would require time to become a political force in Meghalaya.

The NPP now leads the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, in which BJP is a minor ally with two MLAs. The NPP and BJP, however, have decided to contest the elections on their own this year. Conrad has set a target for an absolute majority for NPP.

In 2018, TMC did not win a single seat but it suddenly became the principal opposition party in November 2021 after 12 Congress MLAs led by former CM Mukul Sangma joined it. With Mukul as a face in Meghalaya, the TMC has set a target to wrest power and form its first government outside Bengal.

The 60-member Meghalaya Assembly will go to polls on February 27.

The manifesto also promised to set up Meghalaya's first sports university and set up a music promotion council to nurture talents.