Cong Meghalaya in-charge to reach Shillong today after 12 party MLAs join TMC

Congress Meghalaya in-charge Manish Chatrath will visit Shillong on Thursday after Trinamool Congress claimed that 12 Congress MLAs from the state have joined the Mamata Banerjee-led party.

After the resignation of the 12 MLAs, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) had claimed that they joined the party.

In a major blow to Congress in Meghalaya, as many as 12 of its 17 MLAs in the state joined Trinamool Congress, claim sources.

"12 out of 17 Congress MLA from Meghalaya have joined Trinamool Congress," claims Trinamool Congress sources.

Sources have said that Chatrath has cancelled his Gujarat visit tomorrow.

"Manish Chatrath postponed tomorrow's visit to Surat in Gujarat, where he was scheduled to attend late Congress leader Ahmed Patel's first death anniversary," sources said.

Notably, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal on November 18 held a meeting at AICC headquarters in New Delhi, which was attended by Manish Chatrath to evaluate to party's performance in the recently concluded by-polls in Meghalaya.

The meeting was also joined by other party leaders of the state including MPCC President Vincent H Pala, CLP leader Mukul Sangma, MPCC working president M Arnpareen Lyngdoh, Secretary AICC in-charge Manipur Charles Pyngrope, MPCC working presidents Marthon Sangma and James Lyngdoh.

Earlier, Congress leader Kirti Azad and former Haryana Congress president Ashok Tanwar also recently joined TMC.

( With inputs from ANI )