Trinamool Congress and a thoroughly failed gamble in Meghalaya

The Trinamool Congress was hoping to expand its footprint and Meghalaya was its best opportunity

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

It
was
a
no-show
for
the
Trinamool
Congress
(TMC)
in
Meghalaya.
While
early
trends
showed
the
party
leading
in
20
seats,
later
on
the
tally
came
down
to
six.

The
TMC
had
high
hopes
in
these
elections
and
it
may
have
been
a
gamble
that
could
have
paid
off
when
former
Meghalaya
chief
minister
and
Congress
leader,
Mukul
Sangma
joined
the
Congress.

In
a
big
jolt
for
the
Congress
ahead
of
the
Meghalaya
elections,
Sangma
along
with
11
of
the
17
Congress
MLAs
jumped
ship
to
the
Trinamool
Congress.

Meghalaya
Election
Results
2023:
UDP
may
emerge
as
kingmaker
as
TMC
thins
out

Thanks
to
this
development,
the
Trinamool
Congress
had
12
MLAs
even
before
the
elections
could
be
held.
Sangma
and
his
MLAs
submitted
a
letter
to
the
Speaker
informing
him
of
the
decision.
This
went
on
to
make
the
Trinamool
Congress
the
principle
opposition
party
in
the
state.

The
TMC
had
high
hopes
in
this
move
as
it
was
looking
to
expand
its
footprints
in
Meghalaya.
The
TMC
had
sought
to
make
inroads
in
Meghalaya
at
the
cost
of
the
Congress.

While
part
one
of
the
ploy
paid
off,
the
final
outcome
was
not
something
that
the
TMC
would
have
hoped,
especially
it
had
a
former
CM
to
lead
the
party.

The
BJP
and
NPP
combine
attacked
the
Trinamool
Congress
on
the
issue
of
illegal
immigration.
During
campaigns
it
was
said
that
the
TMC
if
voted
to
power
will
bring
illegal
immigrants
from
Bangladesh.

Over
83.63%
voter
turnout
recorded
in
Nagaland,
75%
in
Meghalaya

For
the
TMC,
winning
Meghalaya
would
have
boost
its
expansion
plan.
It
is
also
looking
for
opportunities
to
be
part
of
ruling
dispensations.

Last
year,
it
failed
to
open
its
account
in
Goa.
In
this
context
Meghalaya
as
its
best
opportunity
yet.

After
winning
thrice
in
Bengal,
the
TMC
had
set
up
units
in
Meghalaya,
Assam,
Tripura
and
Goa.

A

Hindustan
Times
report
had
said
that
if
Meghalaya
rejects
the
TMC,
the
party
would
need
to
go
back
to
the
drawing
board.