Informal talk over tea triggers speculation over TMC’s future in Meghalaya 

Animal Welfare and Veterinary Minister, Alexander Laloo Hek, confirmed his meeting with the TMC’s State unit president, Charles Pyngrope and former Chief Minister Mukul M. Sangma

GUWAHATI

A Minister in the Conrad K. Sangma government has triggered speculations over the MLAs of Trinamool Congress (TMC) merging with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Meghalaya. 

Animal Welfare and Veterinary Minister, Alexander Laloo Hek, confirmed his meeting with the TMC’s State unit president, Charles Pyngrope and former Chief Minister Mukul M. Sangma, following reports that the TMC legislators were planning to switch over to change their political fortunes. 

The TMC became the principal opposition party in Meghalaya almost overnight in 2021 when 12 of the 17 Congress MLAs crossed over. Confident of ushering in “change”, the party contested 56 seats but managed to win five. 

“We had an informal conversation over tea,” Mr. Hek said, admitting that a possible merger of TMC legislators with the BJP was one of the topics discussed. 

“We are waiting for a positive reply from them,” he told journalists in Meghalaya’s capital Shillong on April 25. 

But Mr. Hek was quick to clarify that he was not negotiating for the BJP and that the meeting was informal in nature.