Meghalaya: Mukul Sangma on Verge of Quitting TMC, Multiple Parties in Touch with Ex-CM

Political speculation has reached fever pitch in Meghalaya with former Chief Minister Mukul M Sangma actively exploring new political avenues, virtually severing ties with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) high command in Kolkata.

Reliable sources told reporters that the seven-term Songsak MLA and Leader of the Opposition has opened back-channel discussions with several political parties in the state, though the identities of these parties have not been disclosed yet.

The growing rift between Sangma and the TMC national leadership became evident after the party’s dismal show in the 2023 Assembly elections, where it managed to win only five seats. Insiders say communication from Kolkata has “almost completely stopped” and the central leadership appears to have disengaged from the Meghalaya unit.

A significant personal factor is believed to have accelerated the breakdown: the recent return of Sangma’s younger brother, Zenith M Sangma, to Congress after resigning from TMC. The move is said to have caused considerable displeasure within the influential Sangma family, which continues to dominate Garo Hills politics.

Mukul Sangma’s earlier stint with the Congress had ended bitterly in November 2021 when he, along with 11 other MLAs, defected to TMC. The roots of that exit lay in 2019, when the Congress high command overlooked him and appointed Vincent H Pala as state unit president.

With the 2028 Assembly elections on the horizon and the Congress attempting a comeback, quiet efforts at reconciliation have begun, even though several state leaders remain apprehensive due to the long-standing rivalry between Mukul and Tura MP Saleng A Sangma.

TMC sources confirmed that the party’s central leadership has largely abandoned active involvement in Meghalaya, leaving the state organisation in limbo. Sangma himself had expressed frustration earlier this year, arguing that national party labels often undermine strong regional leaders in smaller states.

While no formal decision has been announced, political circles are abuzz with three broad possibilities:  
- a dramatic homecoming to the Congress,  
- the launch of a new regional party, or  
- acceptance of a Rajya Sabha or other parliamentary berth from the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).

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