SHILLONG:
Trinamool Congress leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma, on March 9, blamed the recent failure to form an alternative government on “horse trading”.
“If you can be analytical of what I am saying is that if one political party has been together with other political parties indicating their willingness and resolve to be together to give an alternative government suddenly they disappear and they find themselves in another camp then what does it reflect? What is the indication of this sudden development? Is it horse trading? It is. Yes, it is reflective of what is happening under current. It is simple. The optics are clear and developments that unfolded are clear,” Sangma told reporters.
He was referring to the recent failed attempt of the regional parties with the support of the Congress and the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) to form a non NPP-BJP government after the just-concluded assembly elections.
Two Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) MLAs went missing from the meeting of the regional parties and later was seen extending support to the Conrad K Sangma-led government. Later, even the United Democratic Party and the People’s Democratic Front also went to extend support to the MDA-2.0 government.
Stating these are all political dynamics, he said, “You know the trust factor, the confidence in each other – all these things are there and at the same time other forces are working 24×7 overtime in engaging in horse trading.”
When asked, Sangma said, “Let people interpret now what exactly is the outcome of the mandate. Didn’t we tell people that if you want to have what you want then people of these three hills must come together but it has not happened. I have said repeatedly that people of these three hills must all come together, people of Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills – must unite for the sole purpose of protecting the interest of the state for the larger good of the state. That is what I have said. It is a difficult job because of the kind of political dynamics that we have in the state but the effort should be there and we will continue in our effort.”