SHILLONG, March 8: Amidst speculations that the Trinamool Congress and Congress MLAs may merge with either the BJP or the NPP in the months to come, former Chief Minister Mukul M. Sangma said the February 27 elections underlined the acceptability of the BJP in Meghalaya.
He is one of five TMC legislators. Congress won an equal number of seats.
“There will always be speculations but there is a need to understand the political dynamics of Meghalaya. The BJP went hammer and tongs in this election but got only two MLAs,” Sangma said on Wednesday.
“So, the people have shown how acceptable the BJP has been since the 1990s when the party started in Meghalaya,” he said.
He indicated that AL Hek and Sanbor Shullai won more in their individual capacity than for their association with the BJP.
“A six-time MLA, Hek is well-established and Shullai has a strong support base,” Sangma said, claiming parties like the TMC and Congress have more space and relevance in Meghalaya than the BJP.
During the campaigning, the NPP claimed Sangma and his team would leave the TMC and join the BJP. Speculations about the possibility grew stronger after the TMC’s debacle in the polls.
Advising the NPP-led alliance government to understand the concerns of the people and protect their interests, he said the TMC would essay a constructive role in the opposition.
