Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Legislature Party in Meghalaya, Dr Mukul Sangma, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, on Wednesday said TMC will field candidates in the upcoming Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections. The announcement signals the party’s intent to consolidate political space in the Garo Hills and challenge the current ruling dispensation over governance and tribal rights under the Sixth Schedule.
“TMC will be having candidates in the GHADC and those who want to fight from as TMC candidates, there will be invited to apply for the nomination, this process will begin immediately after we sit as a party and decide is to how to go about, what is the timelines and it may be so that in all the 29 constituencies,” Dr Sangma said, highlighting the party’s intent to contest across the region.
Interestingly, as the GHADC elections approach, TMC MDCs are keeping their moves in abeyance, awaiting a clear directive from Dr Mukul Sangma, TMC Legislature Party Leader and former Chief Minister. Reports suggest that some TMC MDCs had already decided not to contest the GHADC elections under the party banner, but their final decision is expected to be influenced by Dr Sangma.
Addressing the political dynamics within TMC, he added, “Let me be really frank, let me not hide anything because sometimes it’s always good to share what is the truth, it is a fact that some of the colleagues and comrades in TMC are in little bit of dilemma, they are in a little bit of confusion. In fact because it is a new party, we have made a new beginning, a humble beginning where in lots of narratives were generated which obviously was election oriented at that point of time but as I have said maybe the whole political dynamics within the state has some bearing on the mind of some of the people. So it’s a fact that some of the distinguish colleagues of mine who are members of the GHADC have ask me whether the same question, like you asked, whether they should be looking at option to contest as independent or as probably look at some other new dispensation as a political entity but at the same time when they know that I remain glued to TMC then they are definitely confronted, I must say some kind of political dilemma, it is a natural thing. There are also reasons because many people try to paint TMC as a more racial, I don’t like to name such and such party, I would like to avoid that word, which is something which I have responded to on a number of times. Any party should not be tag with any community because every political party has laid down objectives and purpose and they are already in circulation, we know what in fact TMC is one of the party who is fighting against the ruling dispensation as one of the very effective dedicated, committed opposition particularly if you see the proceedings in the august House in the Parliament. You will be probably seeing that as a testimony of what I am saying, therefore in the context of Meghalaya you have to understand that there are so many other political forces who would try to destruct and dislocate it the momentum of the march of a new dispensation that is exactly happening and all accept TMC of course, every political party is after TMC and we are withstanding and we have been saying thus far and 2028 is the target, so 2028.”
He further underlined the need for alliances with like-minded parties to safeguard tribal interests. “We may have to look at some other like-minded parties who share the same intent of rebuilding GHADC, restoration of its pride and glory in the true earnest because at the moment, you know what has happened. How GHADC has been reduced to the kind of institution which has given reasons for the people of the state to look at, are these forces who are responsible for the present status of the GHADC have some other intent which is not in sync with the intent of the population, with the common intent of Khasi-Garo-Jaintia and other tribes to really deliver what is required to be delivered in sync with a mandate of the constitution of India in as far as the mandate of the Sixth Scheduled of India is concerned. You have to understand important aspect today that had there have been no provision of Sixth Scheduled what would have happened to the tribals and the resources which belong to the tribals of the state, therefore it is incumbent upon all political parties to understand the responsibility of strengthening the GHADC, I mean the ADCs, whether it is KHADC, JHADC or GHADC but today contrary to these expected responsibility which should have been demonstrated by the people in dispensation in power or who are otherwise running the government, it is just contrary to that expected line of commitment and responsibility, the sense of responsibility seems to be eluding that, or eluding us because of absence of it.”
