By David Laitphlang
Shillong, Aug 4: The Trinamool Congress (TMC), which made a sensational entry into Meghalaya in the late 2021, has failed to generate the momentum with no clear revival plan.
TMC leader and Leader of Opposition, Dr Mukul Sangma on Monday acknowledged that the party had generated considerable excitement when it entered Meghalaya, but it quickly fizzled out due to a combination of poor follow-through and internal friction.
“There was a lot of gravitation toward the party in the beginning. But unfortunately, we couldn’t maintain the momentum. Internal politics and lack of foresight hurt us. Some of our friends from the eastern side were reluctant to project me as the CM face, fearing apprehensions about public acceptance — of both a new party and a Garo chief minister,” he said.
“I’m not saying it’s the end. I’m only revealing the ground reality, because at the end of the day, it’s the people’s aspirations I serve. They have always been my driving force,” Dr Sangma said.
He admitted that there was no sustained attempt to build the organisation on the ground. “You can’t run on borrowed fuel forever. We needed to consolidate across all regions, but that did not happen,” he said.
The Trinamool Congress made an entry with a bang by engineering a massive defection from the Congress party. In a single stroke, 12 sitting MLAs, including Sangma and then Assembly Speaker Charles Pyngrope, joined the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC. This not only dislodged the Congress as the main opposition in Meghalaya but also gave the TMC instant prominence in a state where it had no prior presence.
The TMC had high hopes at the 2023 election but underwhelmed, with only four seats won in Garo Hills and one in Khasi Hills. It then failed at the 2024 Lok Sabha election, could not wrest the Gambegre seat in the by-election a few months after that and has now decided not to field any candidates in the KHADC and JHADC election on February 21.
Despite the bleak picture, Dr Mukul has not formally closed the TMC chapter — though he left the door open for a possible shift. “I won’t speak like an astrologer. But any decision I take will be guided by the expectations of the people and what is best for Meghalaya,” he said.
Referring to the recent Gambegre bye-election, Dr Mukul argued that the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) had to go all-out to counter the TMC, which showed that the party still had firepower. “The Chief Minister himself had to camp in the constituency and deploy the full might of the government. That says something,” he remarked.
Asked whether the TMC is now limited to the Garo Hills, Dr. Mukul said, “Political dynamics in Meghalaya are fluid and constantly evolving. Every party, including ours, is under public scrutiny. No one should make sweeping assumptions.”
While speculation is rife about his next political move, Dr Mukul maintained that the people’s mandate will ultimately shape his course. In a remark that struck a politically correct balance between pragmatism and principle, he said: “Political affiliations may change, but our commitment to the people must remain unwavering. That is the only legacy worth preserving.”
