From CK Nayak
NEW DELHI, June 7: All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee will visit Meghalaya on June 16 amidst reports that some MLAs of the party will jump ship to be on the ruling side.
This will be Banerjee’s maiden visit to the hill state. The AITC had dramatically become the state’s principal opposition party following the defection of 12 Congress MLAs, led by former Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma, to it in November last year.
Despite being nascent in the state, the AITC is dreaming big. It is aiming at forming the next government. The Assembly elections are due early next year.
According to reports, some disgruntled MLAs of the party have set their sights on the National People’s Party and the United Democratic Party, the two key constituents of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance.
Banerjee, nephew of party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, will meet party workers and leaders, including Sangma. He is expected to try and put the AITC house in order.
Not just Assembly elections, the AITC is also upbeat about Lok Sabha polls. It will try to win the state’s two Lok Sabha seats in 2024 when the general elections will be held.
Mukul Sangma had “merged” himself with the AITC along with 11 other Congress MLAs after falling out with Shillong MP, Vincent H Pala following the latter’s alleged unilateral appointment as the party’s state unit chief.
In February, the five remaining Congress MLAs had decided to support the state government but only to be suspended by the party’s central leadership. The central leaders were miffed that they had decided to support a government where the BJP is a constituent.
Banerjee last visited the Northeast in the first week of May when he had addressed party workers for the first time in Assam. He has set a target of winning at least 10 of its 14 Lok Sabha seats in 2024.
This was just days after former Assam Congress president, Ripun Bora had worn AITC colours. Former MP and Mahila Congress chief, Sushmita Dev was the first among leaders from the Northeast to embrace the AITC.
Apart from Meghalaya, the party is also trying to make inroads into Assam and Tripura.