The twelve MLAs from Meghalaya who recently quit the Congress and merged with the Trinamool Congress today reached Kolkata for a meeting with Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee.
The meeting between the MLAs with Banerjee will be held at the Trinamool Congress headquarter tomorrow.
The meeting will also be attended by Trinamool Congress youth committee president Abhishek Banerjee, West Bengal minister Manas Ranjan Bhunia among others.
It is unclear if political strategist Prashant Kishor will also be present at the meeting. Kishor was instrumental in lobbying with the twelve former Congress legislators and convincing them to join the Trinamool Congress.
According to sources, the meeting is also likely to decide on the appointment of the president of Trinamool Congress in Meghalaya.
Senior legislator Charles Pyngrope is the front runner for the post as majority of the twelve MLAs favoured him leading the party in the State.
It is also learnt that after their return from Kolkata, the twelve legislators will meet in Shillong to decide on the date for holding of a party rally to formally launch Trinamool Congress in the State.
It may be recalled that on November 26, the Trinamool Congress MLAs elected former Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma as their parliamentary party leader in the Assembly.
Umroi MLA George B. Lyngdoh was elected as chief whip of the party while Mawsynram MLA Himalaya B. Shangpliang was elected as secretary of the parliamentary party.
With twelve legislators on its side, the Trinamool Congress has automatically become the main opposition party in the State Assembly in place of Congress.
As such, Dr. Sangma being the parliamentary party leader of the party is the leader of opposition in the House. However, the same will have to be officially notified by the Assembly Speaker.
The Congress has now been left with just five MLAs in the House of 60.
