Banerjee not visiting state for damage control exercise, says Pyngrope

SHILLONG, June 8: The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), which is preparing for its biggest public event on June 16 since making its political debut in Meghalaya in 2021, on Wednesday trashed speculations that the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee is visiting the state capital to sort out issues following reports that some MLAs are set to jump ship.
Banerjee is scheduled to visit Shillong that day to inaugurate the AITC office in Lachumiere and address a gathering of party workers at the U Soso Tham Auditorium.
“He will meet party leaders and workers and discuss the preparations for the elections,” AITC state president, Charles Pyngrope told reporters, adding that Banerjee will not visit Garo Hills this time.
Pyngrope said the AITC has been growing in Meghalaya. “It is the principal opposition party in the state and is much larger than the NPP,” he added.
The AITC had dramatically become the state’s principal opposition party following the defection of 12 Congress MLAs, led by former chief minister Mukul M Sangma, in November last year. The party hopes to form the next government after the 2023 Assembly elections.