Shillong: The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) has put an end to speculations by announcing its decision to contest the Tura seat in Meghalaya.
This move comes after the Congress party unilaterally declared its candidates on Friday.
The TMC has decided to fight independently in the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal, Assam, and the Tura seat in Meghalaya, where it holds a considerable base.
During a rally on Sunday, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee declared that the party would contest some seats in Assam and the Tura seat, along with all seats in West Bengal.
While Congress had already announced its candidates for both Lok Sabha seats in Meghalaya, it was still attempting to forge alliances in Assam and West Bengal, with hopes pinned on personal intervention from Rahul Gandhi.
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Despite the strained relations within the INDIA alliance, the Assam Trinamool Congress is part of a 16-party United Opposition Forum led by Congress in Assam, which opposes the impending implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
In Meghalaya, where both TMC and Congress hold five MLAs each, the latter aims to revive its presence in Garo Hills, a region it once dominated.
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Some claimed that behind Congress’s preemptive move lies the bitter personal rivalry between MPCC president Vincent H Pala and TMC Parliamentary Party leader Mukul M Sangma.
Both leaders were present in the national capital until the candidates’ lists were released.
Mukul Sangma, former CM and TMC leader blamed Congress for rushing to announce candidates for the Meghalaya seats without allowing negotiations to conclude naturally.
He criticized Congress for being disconnected from ground realities and emphasized the need for collective intent within the INDIA bloc.
It may be mentioned that the All India Congress Committee (AICC) had announced Vincent H Pala and Saleng A Sangma as its candidates for the Shillong and Tura Parliamentary seats, respectively, on Friday.