In what is being viewed as a major political realignment in Meghalaya’s volatile opposition space, former Meghalaya TMC Vice President and brother of former Chief Minister and TMC Legislature Party Leader Dr. Mukul Sangma, Zenith Sangma, on Wednesday officially returned to the Congress fold — a move that has sent ripples through the Trinamool Congress camp. The formal joining ceremony was held in the presence of AICC Incharge Dr. A. Chellakumar and AICC Joint Secretary Adv. Mathew Anthony, underscoring the Congress high command’s renewed push to reclaim lost political ground in the state.
Sounding both emotional and combative, Zenith declared, “I was very passionate with Congress party and throughout my life since I was young child I was very active in politics, was following my senior leaders, so since then I have been part and parcel of Congress party internally and externally. I personally like Congress. But for certain obvious reason I had to be away from Congress party for some time, in those periods I was regretting thinking that whether I have been doing injustice so now I have decided that Congress should be at a better platform as I have doing the same previously.”
The return of Zenith Sangma — a former cabinet minister and one of top Garo Hills’ key political players — comes at a time when the Meghalaya TMC is battling leadership vacuum. Asked the reason for his dessertation, Zenith said, “The political parties are lifeless, non living and it’s the leaders who can carry all the people along to make the party strong. So as far as AITC is concern, the leadership is not connected to the grassroots so slowly and gradually the party has not able to be in public memory in certain region of the state, so it is going to be confined in just certain region of the state, not in every nook and corner of the state.”
His statement comes on the heels of Dr. Mukul Sangma’s own veiled criticism of TMC Meghalaya President Charles Pyngrope, for what many insiders see as a colossal organisational failure to expand beyond the Garo belt. The desertion of Zenith is now being seen as the clearest indicator yet that TMC’s Meghalaya experiment has begun to crumble from within, even before it could consolidate its foothold in the Khasi–Jaintia Hills region.
Reiterating his faith in the Congress, Zenith asserted, “Congress is saturated in every nook and corner of the state so I prefer to be such a party which is Pan Meghalaya and Pan India.”
The remark reflects the Sangma family’s old political DNA — deeply rooted in Congress ideology and its expansive organisational framework across Meghalaya.
Dismissing suggestions of fraternal betrayal, Zenith was categorical, “In Politics as far as serving the people and the country is concern there is no family. This is precisely I was talking about fighting when I was first induced in 2006 by then Chief Minister Late Dr DD Lapang, if that is the case that was put and then I said Am I representing the family? I am not representing the family. I am representing thousand of people. Which is my constituency, so that mentality that mindset should be eradicated.”
When pressed to comment on whether the TMC has turned into a sinking ship, he tactfully replied, “Every party it all depends on the leadership, I don’t want to comment.”
On speculation surrounding Dr. Mukul Sangma’s next move, Zenith maintained diplomatic restraint: “My brother Dr Mukul Sangma, is a very tall leader having long innings in politics, having lots of knowledge, wisdom wealth of experience as all of us know, what he is thinking? What kind of thinking process is taking place in his mind is best known to him, I am not the authorised person to tell about him. When the time comes he may take any decision I don’t want to dwelt on this.”
Turning his guns towards the ruling dispensation, Zenith launched a fierce tirade against the NPP-led government, calling it “a regime of jungle raj and corruption.” He said, “With sound mind and soul, I have consciously decided to rejoin Congress, the rejoining of me into the grand old party is that the prevailing situation across the state of Meghalaya and the country as well. The ruling dispensation be it in the state of Meghalaya or at the centre they have been destroying the country. In the state of Meghalaya we can see the jungle raj, rampant corruption from all fronts not only in one department in all social sectors. Be it in MeECL, the electricity department or education, health or in every departments because of the corruption the present government is destroying the state.”
Zenith’s fiery return speech was a political statement loaded with symbolism and timing — marking Congress’ attempt to regroup its traditional base in Garo Hills while cornering NPP ahead of the next Assembly elections.
Reaffirming his loyalty, he said, “So therefore, I have decided that as I have been working closely with the Congress party for more than 20 years, it’s a long period of time, I once again felt that this is my own family and by being in this platform it will be more appropriate and conducive for me to fight against this corrupt government. Therefore I have consciously decided to rejoin INC and I always maintained which ever party I was associated with, I always maintained that I was a true soldier of the party.”
Defending his record, he added, “I am against corruption always, in my tenure as Minister bid anybody can find out wheather I was involve in corrupt practice that I can challenge. I am sure that even a single dot was not misused in the file.”
Ending his speech on a note of conviction, Zenith concluded, “I am rejoining without any condition as I have said I have volunteerrily decided this is my old party family INC.”
