By Our Reporter
Shillong, Dec 4: Trinamool Congress (TMC) state president Charles Pyngrope on Monday said he is not aware that former chief minister Mukul Sangma is planning to leave the party.
“He has not told me if he has such a plan in mind. I will speak to him officially to inquire about this. He would have told me if he had any such intention since we are in constant touch (with each other),” Pyngrope told The Shillong Times reacting to a media report.
He said it is always a setback if an MLA, irrespective of whoever he or she is, leaves a party.
“The impact is greater if someone in the stature of Dr Mukul Sangma leaves,” the TMC state president said.
According to him, it is difficult to conclude that an MLA is not interested to remain in a party just by looking at his or her behaviour.
“There would not have been this speculation if we had got the numbers in the Assembly elections. The setback in the polls has put the party in a difficult position,” Pyngrope said.
To a query, he denied that TMC leaders from Kolkata are looking after the affairs of the party in Meghalaya.
“I am looking after the party affairs in Meghalaya as the state president,” he said.
On George B Lyngdoh’s decision to relinquish the post of party vice president, Pyngrope said he had to accept it since the former MLA is looking for “other avenues”.
“But holding the position of vice president will be a problem for him since it has a huge responsibility. I am happy that he continues to be a member of the party,” Pyngrope said.
On next year’s Lok Sabha elections, he said the state leadership has not received any directions from party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee to prepare for the polls.
“We will shortly know it since the elections in the different states are now over,” he added.