Leader of Opposition and Trinamool Congress Legislature Party leader in Meghalaya Dr Mukul Sangma on Wednesday said there was no immediate threat to the current dispensation amid reports of a possible political realignment involving the BJP and UDP, but flagged a “lack of cohesiveness in the present coalition dispensation” as a matter of concern. He also warned that political manoeuvring and poaching of elected representatives could dilute and manipulate electoral mandates and set a dangerous precedent for democracy.
Sangma’s assessment comes against the backdrop of heightened political speculation in Meghalaya over a possible shift of UDP legislators to the BJP. While ruling out an immediate threat to the MDA government, he said the political manoeuvring being reflected in the news appeared to stem from internal strains within the coalition.
Talking to Media persons in Shillong, Dr Sangma said, “While we cannot rule out anything, but as of now, as I had inputs I don’t think there is a threat to the existing current dispensation and but then I see the present political maneuver which is reflected by the overall news in circulation is seems to be as offshoot of lack of cohesiveness in the present coalition dispensation. It is definately the matter of concern, and you can have many interpretation from different perspective.”
The Opposition leader cautioned political parties against using defections as an instrument of organisational expansion, arguing that while parties were entitled to strengthen their presence in areas where they lacked a political base, such efforts must remain within the framework of democratic norms.
“Every political party will try to expand their reach , see that they can make in routes into the areas where they have not been able to make in routes but democracy provides that space without having to compromise the core values of democracy,” the TMC leader said.
Sangma drew a distinction between an isolated decision by an individual legislator and a coordinated political manoeuvre involving multiple elected representatives. Referring to political developments in Maharashtra, West Bengal and Delhi, he said the emerging trend of political poaching had wider ramifications for the electoral mandate.
“In a small scale in isolation if something has happened that can be taken as based on what was decided by one or two leaders. What you are seeing today is the same thing you saw in Maharastra and West Bengal, you also saw in Delhi. Reflective of the new trend of political paching which can have remification on diluting and menuevering the mandate of the nation,” the former CM said.
The former Chief Minister also appeared to dismiss speculation about his own possible political shift amid the reports of BJP outreach, saying responsible leaders must respect each other’s political positions.
“That effort was there before but I think they also know my stand and our stand. respecting stand of each other responsible leaders of different political parties there fore respecting each others political stand is important in democracy,” he said.
Sangma said the issue assumed greater significance when political defections involved Parliament, arguing that the constitutional powers of Parliament gave such manoeuvring implications extending beyond the immediate political arithmetic of a State.
Describing the national political environment as “abnormally abnormal”, he said political poaching at the State level had a different political dynamic from the shifting of elected MPs at the national level. Such developments, he maintained, could have unprecedented consequences for the mandate of the nation.
“As far as TMC is concerned, the overall political dynamics across the nation, described the current national political environment as “abnormally abnormal”, the usual poaching on the elected representatives when it takes place at the state level that is a different, it has a different dynamics when it happens at National level involving elected MPs, the end result of such political menuerver is definitely unprecedented and dangerous,” Dr Sangma said, adding,
“It effects the mandate of the nation. The power of the state Legislator and the power of the parliament is different. The parliament has the power to ammend the constitution, therefore you have to understand the remification of manipulation of the mandate of the nation.”
Sangma said political changes could not be treated merely as an exercise in power management and that defections or mergers should have a substantive political rationale and be assessed against the larger interests of the people.
“We have never seen such a.politixal development resulting in MPs from a party shifting. It is because of political paching which doesnot sugar well in democracy, because in democracy we must always respect the mandate and core values associate with respecting the mandate,” the former CM said.
He acknowledged that legislators could, at times, choose to shift political allegiance or merge with another party, but said such decisions should be guided by clear political reasons and an intended outcome that served the larger public interest rather than being driven by short-term power calculations.
“There are time when members of the political parties do decide shift and merge with political parties but it has to be based on some reasons. Some intended end result which people should look at in totality for the interest of the people as a whole,” he said
Sangma further criticised what he termed makeshift political arrangements centred on retaining or acquiring power, calling such arrangements abnormal.
“Makeshift arrangement or being in power that is something which is consider as abnormal,” Dr Sangma said.
Reiterating the Opposition TMC’s position in Meghalaya, Sangma said Meghalaya TMC would remain focused on its constitutional and political role rather than being drawn into the reported realignment.
“Meghalaya TMC remains glued to our responsibility as member of opposition and we will continue to work accordingly,” he added.
