‘Bangladeshis’ enter Meghalaya polls 

Trinamool Congress hits back at the National People’s Party for backing the “foreigner-embracing” Citizenship (Amendment) Act after being accused of batting for Bangladeshis 

GUWAHATI

The Bangladeshi issue, a staple of elections in Assam, has “infiltrated” poll-bound Meghalaya. Blame it on the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

After failing to make a mark in Goa in 2022, the TMC invested heavily in Meghalaya to establish that it had acceptance beyond West Bengal. It had a reason to; 12 Congress MLAs switched over in November 2021 to make it Meghalaya’s Opposition party overnight.

Four of the MLAs quit ahead of the announcement of the February 27 polls to join other parties, including the TMC’s primary rival, the National People’s Party (NPP). But that apparently did not lessen the threat the party posed in many of the 55 seats it was contesting.

Explained | The big northeast battle en route to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections 

Meghalaya’s is a 60-member Assembly.

The NPP and minor ally-turned-rival BJP began targeting the TMC after it was first off the blocks to announce its candidates, initially 52, almost a month ago.