Former Chief Minister and Congress Legislature Party leader Mukul M. Sangma’s statement that the party leadership did not consult him on the appointment had triggered speculations of a rift within the Meghalaya Congress. There were reports that veteran Congress leader Mukul Sangma including 13 legislators were likely to join the TMC.

Mukul Sangma and Lok Sabha member Vincent H. Pala had reportedly been avoiding each other since the latter was appointed the State party president a month ago.

Meanwhile, Mukul Sangma has sought time to meet the Gandhis to resolve issues amid talks of him joining the Trinamool Congress (TMC). “I will travel to Delhi on Sunday to meet the Gandhis to resolve pending issues,” Sangma said. He said that the party “needed a course correction”.

But the Congress in Meghalaya seems to have averted a crisis ahead of the by-elections to three Assembly seats.

But on Saturday evening, the two leaders came together for the party’s election meeting and decided to work together for the candidates to be nominated by the Congress central leadership for the by-elections.

The by-polls would be held for the Mawphlang, Mawryngkneng and Rajabala seats on October 30. The Central leadership on Sunday named Kennedy C. Khyriem, Highlander Kharmalki and Hashina Yasmin Mondal as the candidates for these three seats.

“We are fielding the best candidates. People in the State have seen the performance of the government. Our base in each and every area is much better than that of the other parties,” Mr. Pala said, adding that Dr. Sangma’s strategic inputs would be of value to the party.

Image Courtesy: Republic world