AITC not to have alliance with any of the MDA partners: Mukul

“As far as the TMC is concerned in respect of Meghalaya, TMC will go alone. We will field Candidates but TMC will not have alliance with any political parties who are part of this government,” Sangma told reporters after a party meeting held in the city.

He was categorically responding to speculations that are doing the rounds and are being circulated in social media that the AITC is approaching the UDP and other parties for toppling the Conrad K Sangma-led government. “Who from the AITC has approached them?” he asked.

The AITC leader further claimed that over 72 to 75 percent of the people of Meghalaya want that this government should go.

“Therefore, for AITC to have anything to do with any of the political parties, who are in the ruling dispensation, then how do you do justice to the aspirations of the people? You have to connect with the pulse of the people. We must understand why people overall have this feeling that yes there must be a change and the government must go. Why, there are reasons,” he said.

“In view of this, AITC will have nothing to do with any of the political parties who are in the ruling dispensation and this includes the Congress. Please remember Congress is part and parcel of this government,” Sangma added.

He maintained that the five suspended MLAs are technically still members of the Congress.

The Leader of Opposition said that those who are part of the ruling dispensation have the baggage of whatever wrong they have done to the people of the state.

“I cannot be selective. A party cannot be selective when you are pointing a finger at any of the political parties who are in the government for any wrong doings. Therefore, we will have to be very clear. We must be able to give people a very clear choice; we cannot confuse people and ultimately vitiate the political environment in the state. People must have either with them or somebody else. If they choose to be with the ruling dispensation, at the end of the day the mandate of the people will speak,” he stated.

When asked, the former chief minister informed that the party had a quick review on its preparation for the upcoming 2023 Assembly elections in the state.

“We have planned out certain strategies as we embark upon our whole political activities to ensure that the party organizations are put in place across the state,” he said.

Refusing to share more details on the meeting, Sangma said these are internal exercises but the overall strategy of the party towards organizing the party at the grassroot level and how to deal with issues were discussed.

On allegation that some of the AITC MLAs may join other political parties, Sangma however said the party is prepared for everything and that there will certainly be element of surprises in both ways – “you will see some members from other side probably joining other political parties, nothing is yet visible for many of our friends from the media but we know exactly what is happening on the ground zero.”

“Some attempts by the other political parties are quite visible as some of the political parties are on an induction drive. I saw lots of media reports and that is why we are also having our own strategy and seeing how things are happening. It is time we need to utilize it for filtering,” he said.

Recalling the events unfolding ahead of the 2018 Assembly elections, the former chief minister said, “you saw suddenly many of our friends coming out with surprises deciding to join other political parties – so those kind of surprises I will not rule out for any political party, not only for TMC but for any political party be it for BJP, be it for NPP, be it for UDP, for any political party – there will be certain element of surprises.”

By Our Reporter