NEW DELHI: Failing to address infighting and weak links in state units, with Trinamool Congress going all out to 'capture' disgruntled party leaders, caused setbacks to Congress in Meghalaya, where it had emerged the single largest party in the 2018 Assembly elections.
Leaders expressed concern that the party is failing to address concerns of state leaders and trouble is brewing in almost all state units, which is further hurting party's revival plans. Former Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and 11 MLAs merging with TMC comes six weeks after he met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, expressing unhappiness over the appointment of MP Vincent H Pala as Meghalaya Congress chief in September this year.
Sources said that the high command failed to address concerns raised by Sangama, who was upset over not being consulted before Pala's appointment. Pala is an MP from Shillong. The party has seen conflicts and infighting in several state units like Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, J&K, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and others.
"There is a long list of trouble brewing in state units which could not be addressed timely. In Punjab, we created a situation where state unit chief continues to defy the high command’s directives and attack his own government. Things are not settled in Rajasthan. Leaders have quit in J&K and now Meghalaya. This needs to be addressed if we want to challenge the Modi government in 2024," said a senior leader.
Another leader pointed out that political strategist Prashant Kishor is in touch with disgruntled leaders and getting them to join TMC as that party looks to expand its national footprint. "Attacking people who are switching to other parties will not work. The leadership should seriously ponder because some young and promising leaders have also left," said a former MP.