Shillong, Dec 2: Congress in Garo Hills is in for a major shocker as it has been revealed that out of the existing 11 MDCs of the party in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), 10 of them are likely to align with Dr. Mukul Sangma and the Trinamool Congress.
The Congress won 12 seats out of the 29 contested in April 2021. It was the single largest party as the ruling NPP party came second with 11 seats. But the Congress could not form the next Executive Committee due to reluctance of the MDCs from other parties, GNC-1, BJP-2, Independents-3, to join hands with it.
The NPP was able to form the new EC under two time NPP MDC Benedic R Marak of Raksamgre.
The Congress lost Ashahel D Shira, sitting MDC of Batabari, to UDP after Shira left the party to contest Rajabala by-polls in October.
Now, out of the current 11 MDCs of the Congress, almost all of them are showing indications of crossing over to Trinamool Congress. This is because all the current MDCs are loyalists of Dr Sangma.
The only MDC who has so far not shown any indication of moving away from the Congress is Stevie Marak, two term MDC from Boldamgre constituency of Ampati, the stronghold of Dr Mukul Sangma.
High level sources have informed that a majority of the sitting MDCs of the Congress attended the Trinamool rally at Songsak which was organized by Dr Mukul Sangma on Wednesday.
“Some of the MDCs are family related to Dr Mukul Sangma so it is evident they will go along with him. We had expected that,” said the senior Congress source.
The likely defectors from the Congress camp to the Trinamool in the GHADC are Dengnakpara MDC Sadhiarani M Sangma, who is the wife of Trinamool leader Zenith M Sangma, Balachanda MDC Agassi R Marak, Kharkutta MDC Cherak W Momin, Betasing MDC Sonjoy Koch, Shyamnagar MDC Habibuz Zaman, Samandagre MDC Lahitson M Sangma, Amongpara MDC Nehru D Sangma, Williamnagar MDC Alphonus R Marak, Rongrong MDC Rinaldo K Sangma and Damas MDC Fardinand D Shira.