SHILLONG, April 23: All India Trinamool Congress legislature party chief, Mukul M Sangma on Saturday said the party will not have an alliance with any political party that is part and parcel of the MDA government.
He also downplayed the speculations that some AITC legislators may quit and join the National People’s Party and other political entities.
“We are prepared for everything and there will be elements of surprises not only in TMC but other political parties as well,” he told reporters after a meeting with AITC’s state in-charge and West Bengal minister Manas Ranjan Bhunia.
Many MLAs and leaders may leave the NPP, BJP, Congress and even the UDP during the run-up to the 2023 Assembly polls, he added.
The AITC will go it along in the polls and not tie up with any political party, including Congress that has pledged support to the MDA government.
Claiming that 70-75% of the people in the state want the NPP-led government to go, Sangma said AITC will not do justice to the aspirations of the people if they go for any alliance.
“We must understand that people want change and this government must go for that to happen,” he said.
During the meeting with Bhunia, the state party leaders planned certain strategies to ensure their organisation is well oiled ahead of the polls.
Sangma slammed those who are terming AITC as a Bengali party. This narrative is being created by political opponents whose politics revolve around racism, he said.
“The people of Meghalaya are not racial but some leaders are trying to infuse this racial mindless,” he said, pointing out that the first president of the Indian National Congress was a Bengali.
“The NPP is headquartered in Manipur but nobody calls it a Manipuri party,” he said.
Sangma criticised the UDP for creating a perception that they are concerned about the people’s issues but end up doing nothing about irregularities in Saubhagya, smart meter and other projects.
Even the BJP raised voices, even though it has been indulging in lip service, he said. “Being in the opposition, the AITC could do little about the wrongdoings. The political parties supporting the government were in a position to but did not,” he said.
“As the elections near, the regional parties will point finger at the NPP in order to insulate themselves from the wrongdoings,” Sangma said.
He also found fault in the stand of the UDP on the recent boundary pact between Assam and Meghalaya.
Meanwhile, AITC state in-charge, Manas Ranjan Bhunia, on Saturday said that the party is observing all political activities in Meghalaya. “We are discussing with Dr Sangma and our discussions were inconclusive and this discussion will continue,” he said.