Shillong: In a major jolt to Congress, 12 party MLAs, including former chief minister Mukul Sangma, joined the Trinamool Congress on Wednesday. The MLAs led by Sangma have already informed Speaker of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Metbah Lyngdoh and said that they will support the Trinamool Congress.
The Congress, which ruled the state for over a decade, lost to the Nationalist People's Party (NPP) in 2018 Assembly polls and could win only 19 seats in the 60- member House.
The former Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma while addressing the media in Shillong announced his decision to go with the Trinamool Congress saying, "Congress has failed to play the role of the main opposition party in the country."
Of the 12 Congress legislators who joined the Trinamool, eight MLAs are from Garo Hills, while four lawmakers are from Khasi Jaintia hills.
Earlier, Sangma had reportedly met Trinamool's National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata in October triggering speculation amid a reported rift within the Congress in the northeastern state. Sangma, however, had termed it as a courtesy meeting.
The development assumes significance as the tiny hill state is going to polls in 2023 and Trinamool Congress is in an expansion mode in the country.
The NPP led by Conrad Sangma, son of former Lok Sabha Speaker late Purno A Sangma, is ruling the state and it is a partner of BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Apart from Mukul Sangma, the Congress MLAs, who joined the TMC, include Charles Pyngrope (Nongthymmai), Himalaya Shangpliang (Mawsynram), George B Lyngdoh (Umroi), JB Shitlang Pale (Sutnga-Saipung), Dikkanchi D Shira (Mahendraganj), Miani D Shira (Ampati), Zenith Sangma (Rangsakona), Marthon J Sangma (Mendipathar), Jimmy D Sangma (Tikrikilla), Winnerson D Sangma (Salmanpara) and Lazarus M Sangma (Chokpot).
Read: Cong calls ex-Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma to Delhi amid talks of him joining Trinamool
