SHILLONG, April 5: All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) state president, Charles Pyngrope said the 12 MLAs who crossed over from Congress in 2021 do not regret their political decision when leaders across party lines are weighing their options ahead of the 2023 Assembly polls.
The 12 will be sticking to the party, he asserted while making light of the low profile the AITC has reportedly been keeping for a few months now.
“We are in the process of identifying blocks in every constituency as a lot of enquiries about joining the party are coming now. Once everything is concrete, we will start campaigning,” Pyngrope said.
The AITC had made a dramatic entry into state politics last year after 12 Congress MLAs jumped ship.
Slamming some leaders for calling their decision to join AITC a blunder, Pyngrope said the party will take some time to gain ground in Meghalaya. Every political party takes some time to build a base in every state, he added.
“How can you compare the AITC with any other political party in Meghalaya when many of them don’t even have a presence in Parliament?” he said.
Pyngrope said it is not necessary for AITC chief Mamata Banerjee to visit Meghalaya at this moment. “Her presence would be required once the party goes into campaign mode,” he said, adding that the AITC is organising a nationwide third front as no single party can counter the BJP.
He also said the AITC with 25 members in the Lok Sabha and 10 in the Rajya Sabha has an understanding with like-minded parties for a coalition.