SHILLONG, June 25: Will the ongoing political crisis in the West Bengal Trinamool Congress have any ripple effect in the Meghalaya unit or is the Meghalaya unit going to negotiate its own political course?
At least two of the top TMC leaders in Meghalaya seem to be assessing the Bengal crisis and its impact on the state unit through different political lenses.
While TMC Parliamentary Party leader Mukul M. Sangma believes that the Bengal issue will have a definitive impact in Meghalaya, TMC state president Charles Pyngrope seems to have a diametrically opposite view on the same.
Pyngrope has downplayed any immediate impact on the state unit, asserting that the state unit has not received any official communication or directive from the ‘rebel’ group in West Bengal that has claimed leadership of the party. He maintained that the developments are internal matters of the TMC and do not amount to a split or merger with another political party.
Pyngrope assured that the Meghalaya unit will continue to function as usual until any official communication is received from the recognised party leadership. He added that if any future directive has implications for Meghalaya, the party’s five MLAs, office-bearers and supporters would meet and deliberate before taking a decision.
Referring to speculation that some Trinamool Congress legislators in Meghalaya may switch allegiance to the BJP, Pyngrope said he had personally spoken to all four party MLAs, who categorically denied any plans to leave the party. He expressed confidence in their assurances, noting that no such proposal has been discussed within the party.
Drawing a distinction between the political realities of West Bengal and Meghalaya, Pyngrope said the situations in the two states are vastly different. He pointed out that despite the ongoing internal differences, the TMC remains one of the largest opposition parties in the country with a significant presence in both Parliament and the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
He stressed that internal disagreements should be resolved democratically within the organisation. He further informed that the party’s legislators in the state had already met to discuss the developments in West Bengal and assess their possible implications. Communication has also been established with the party’s top leadership in Kolkata to obtain clarity.
On his own political future, Pyngrope said there is still ample time before the 2028 Assembly elections and no decision has been taken regarding the party from which he would contest. He would first consult his supporters, and the final decision would largely depend on their wishes rather than his personal preference.
In contrast, Sangma on Wednesday admitted that the challenges faced by the TMC at the national level will naturally impact its state units, including in Meghalaya. He described the current national political landscape as “abnormal” and unprecedented, noting that developments in one state create ripple effects across others.
The contrasting positions of the two senior TMC leaders in Meghalaya have intensified the uncertainty surrounding the party’s future in Meghalaya amid the Bengal turmoil.
