All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) leader and former chief minister of Meghalaya Mukul Sangma on Wednesday denied having any discussions with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and cabinet minister AL Hek about him joining the BJP or a possible AITC-BJP merger.
Sangma said that he met Hek in Delhi on March 3, a day after the 2023 election results during which Hek urged the AITC leaders to ensure that the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) does not come back to power in Meghalaya but there was no discussion on joining the BJP.
This came after Hek had claimed that he had over a ‘cup of tea’ discussed with the AITC leaders about them merging with the BJP.
Sangma brushed aside Hek’s claim that he asked him to join the BJP, stating that it is natural for political parties to strategise and that the TMC is also seeking to bring other MLAs into their party.
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Speaking to journalists after a party review meeting in Shillong, Sangma said “A. L. Hek is a very good friend of mine. We have worked together for a very long time. He was in Congress while we were in Congress. He was in the council of ministers when I was the CM. So you have seen this long association and the good thing is that he wanted to meet me on March 3 morning, so we had tea and we congratulated each other but he was in a hurry to go to his meeting but he told me one thing he said that he was not happy with the outcome of the whole election results obviously because BJP also went hammer and tongs to see that they win as many seats as available,” he disclosed.
{{/usCountry}}Speaking to journalists after a party review meeting in Shillong, Sangma said “A. L. Hek is a very good friend of mine. We have worked together for a very long time. He was in Congress while we were in Congress. He was in the council of ministers when I was the CM. So you have seen this long association and the good thing is that he wanted to meet me on March 3 morning, so we had tea and we congratulated each other but he was in a hurry to go to his meeting but he told me one thing he said that he was not happy with the outcome of the whole election results obviously because BJP also went hammer and tongs to see that they win as many seats as available,” he disclosed.
{{/usCountry}}“That’s the time when I met him (Hek) but he didn’t say that I should join BJP or anything. He only said that please do something to see that this government doesn’t come back,” Sangma said.
Sangma added that he has reasons to believe that this story about him and his party merging with the BJP may also be connected to the ongoing election in the Sohiong constituency. Sohiong went to the polls on Wednesday. It is an attempt to divert attention from serious and important issues, he added.
Stating that it is natural for every political party to strategise for themselves, he said, “We are doing the same. We would also like other MLAs to join us and merge with our party. We welcome our friends who would decide by joining the TMC, we can aggregate our strengths together and work together.”
“The state today needs unification and the coming together of all political parties. I have tried this along with my colleagues, along with my party functionaries including some of the leaders of some political parties even after the election results were declared,” he added.
Sangma further said that the AITC legislators are committed to protecting the interests of the people and the state.
“We have taken resolve with the utmost sense of sincerity that under any circumstances we will not allow anybody to take the interest of the people and the state for granted,” Sangman said, adding that many things will be unfolding in the coming days and that the AITC will take the government head-on.