Eyes on polls: Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee to visit Meghalaya on June 16

Meghalaya sends two MPs to the Lok Sabha every term and the Trinamool Congress now aims to send at least one MP to the Lower House from the state in 2024.

Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee is scheduled to visit Meghalaya on June 16, his maiden political visit to the state which will go to polls next year. The Trinamool Congress is aiming to form a government in the state.

Abhishek Banerjee will meet the local cadres of the party and former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, who has joined the party with 11 MLAs from the Congress. Meghalaya sends two MPs to the Lok Sabha every term and the TMC now aims to send one MP to the Lower House from the state in 2024.

Last year, as the party set foot in Meghalaya, Congress saw a mass exodus with 11 MLAs, led by former Chief Minister and party veteran,Mukul Sangma, joining Mamata Banerjee’s party. The defections made the TMC the principal opposition in the Assembly, while the Congress was forced to support the government. The beleaguered grand old party decided to support the ruling National People’s Party, led by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, in the “interest of the people”.

Also Read: | Former CM Mukul Sangma, 11 MLAs join TMC in Meghalaya in massive jolt to Congress

Abhishek Banerjee’s last visit to the northeast was in the first week of May, when he addressed party workers for the first time in Assam. Banerjee set a target of winning 10 of the total 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state in 2024. This was just days after Congress lost another veteran, this time in Assam. Ripun Bora too jumped ship to the TMC.

The National General Secretary of the TMC also asserted that the party will form governments in both Tripura and Meghalaya, states which will vote next year.