SHILLONG, Nov 28: Despite making a grand entry into Meghalaya politics by scalping as many as 12 Congress MLAs, the All India Trinamool Congress, political parties in the state are downplaying any threat from the newest party. They are confident that the 2023 Assembly polls will be an acid test for the party from West Bengal.
NPP state president, WR Kharlukhi said TMC is a new party in Meghalaya with old faces. “They are ‘old wine in a new bottle’,” he said.
“They have said that they will change this and that. You can dream and have wishful thinking but the real test will be only in 2023,” he added.
He also said that it would be interesting to see how many actually remain with TMC till 2023. He continued: “It is not easy for any political party to make an entry into a state and perform well.”
“For us (NPP) it took us more than 20 years to get rid of the tag that we are a Garo party,” he said while adding that NPP’s main fight in 2023 will be with the Congress.
BJP Meghalaya in-charge, M Chuba Ao observed that the 12 MLAs realized that they had no future with the Congress party since it does not have a permanent president and they ultimately decided to merge with TMC.
He also pointed out that the 12 MLAs made a mistake by joining the party led by Mamata Banerjee whose state (West Bengal) is trapped under a huge pile of debt.
Stating that any political party has the right to contest elections, the BJP leader predicted that TMC might win some seats here and there in Meghalaya but would remain in single digits only.
UDP general secretary, Jemino Mawthoh said with the merger of the 12 Congress MLAs with the TMC, people can now see their true colours.
“People are the best judges. Politicians have their own agenda but people are wise enough,” he said.
Admitting that some of the Congress MLAs had sent feelers to join the UDP, Mawthoh said that his party was now focussed and determined to perform well in the 2023 electoral battle.