TURA:
As back door talks are said to be taking place between the BJP leadership and the current lot of five Trinamool Congress legislators of the state, the West Bengal-centric Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faces an existential crisis in the Garo Hills from where it brought in the largest share of four MLAs in the last elections, held in March.
The Trinamool had won Ampati (Mukul Sangma’s daughter Miani D Shira), Songsak (Mukul himself), Rajabala (Dr. Mizanul Kazi), and Rupa Marak who defeated NPP heavyweight and minister James Pangsang K Sangma.
A possible move by the former chief minister and Trinamool leader Mukul Sangma and three others from Garo Hills into the BJP fold has led to much speculation about the saffron party shoring up its numbers in the current Assembly with the hope of calling the shots in the current Conrad K Sangma government where the BJP is a minority player with just one ministerial berth.
After the drubbing the TMC received in the state, in which its projections of securing over 20 seats trickled down to just five, moves have been afloat for a switch-over and sources reveal that the best bet for Mukul and company is the BJP given the poor market value of the Congress and the non-welcoming stance of the NPP to the likes of Mukul Sangma and his group.
Sources within the TMC camp in Meghalaya reveal that lone TMC legislator from the Khasi Hills region Charles Pyngrope is unlikely to join the BJP bandwagon since a power struggle is underway as to who would be the next BJP state party president.
With Mukul having three other TMC members under his belt, including daughter Miani D Shira representing Ampati, Charles appears to be the outsider when it comes to heckling for the party president position.
“He (Charles) does not have the numbers to create any wave which is probably why he will remain with the TMC while the others move on,” says a Trinamool insider.
An exit by Mukul and company will also aid Charles independently in revamping the Trinamool party in the state where Mukul Sangma had previously been calling the shots all along, since joining the TMC.
BJP Ao to visit Meghalaya
Meanwhile, sources from the BJP indicate that the national party leader in charge of Meghalaya Dr. Chuba Ao is expected to visit the state within the next few days in view of the latest political developments.