TMC banking on 'strong leaders' in Meghalaya to form government

'In Meghalaya, we have strong leaders such as Mukul and Pyngrope, unlike in Goa,' Mamata said

With Congress facing survival questions and the National People's Party (NPP) gearing up to fight the Assembly elections against its allies in Meghalaya, the Trinamool Congress is banking on its "strong leaders" to fulfil its long wish of forming a government beyond Bengal.

In the 2018 Assembly elections, TMC did not win a single seat in Meghalaya but the Mamta Banerjee-led party suddenly became the principal opposition party in November 2021 when 12 out of 17 Congress MLAs led by former CM Mukul Sangma joined it. Mukul is the TMC's legislature party leader while Chalrse Pyngrope, the former Speaker is the party's state president now. Sangma and Pyngrope, considered as two strong leaders representing the dominant Garo and Khasi communities respectively, are being strongly projected as "sons of the soil" as TMC tries hard to shed the tag of "Bengali party" and win hearts in the tribal-majority state.

"In Meghalaya, we have strong leaders such as Mukul and Pyngrope, unlike in Goa and this makes us confident of winning the elections," Mamta told reporters in Shillong on her first visit to Meghalaya last month.

While Pyngrope is a strong leader in the Khasi-dominated constituencies, including in Shillong, Mukul is the party's face in the Garo Hills, where Mamta will address a rally on Wednesday. Mukul is TMC's face to take on Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, the son of former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma. Conrad will contest from his South Tura seat (in Garo Hills) while Mukul has been named as TMC's candidate in two constituencies in Garo Hills: Songsak and Tikrikilla. Garo Hills has 24 Assembly seats.

Leaders inside TMC believe that Mukul and Pyngrope, who were top leaders in Congress for years, would bring votes of Congress to TMC. Congress in 2018 emerged as the biggest party with 21 seats but has no MLA at present after the remaining MLAs joined NPP and other parties. Congress, in fact, is struggling to prepare its list of candidates for the Assembly elections. "Also in several seats, NPP would be contesting against its allies including BJP. This will ultimately help us," a TMC leader said.

NPP, which cobbled up the alliance in 2018 and denied Mukul Sangma-led Congress its third term in a row, has announced names of 58 out of 60 seats with a target to get an absolute majority. TMC also has named 52 candidates for the polls next month. TMC is not only projecting itself as a party to be run by local leaders in Meghalaya but is also harping on local sentiments over issues like the inter-state border conflicts with neighbouring Assam. TMC has also promised two cash benefit schemes, Rs. 1000 per month to women and youths in Meghalaya. The promise, according to a TMC leader, is to counter the credit Conrad Sangma's government is trying to take over the works done in Meghalaya in the past five years.

BJP, however, has claimed that no party would be able to form the next government without the saffron party support as a partner.