People of Meghalaya want change in govt., says Mamata

Kolkata, Jan. 17 (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday asserted that the people of poll-bound Meghalaya want a change in the government.

Banerjee, who is scheduled to visit the northeastern state on Wednesday, said there should be a peaceful resolution of the Assam-Meghalaya border dispute.

“People of Meghalaya want a change (in government). There have been issues between Assam and Meghalaya. There should be a peaceful resolution to the border dispute between the two states,” Banerjee told reporters at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here before leaving for Alipurduar district in northern West Bengal.

The Trinamool Congress supremo, who will be accompanied by the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and MP Derek O’Brien, is scheduled to hold a public meeting in North Garo Hills district in Meghalaya ahead of the assembly polls due this year.

Banerjee had addressed a TMC workers’ convention in the northeastern state in December.

The TMC has been trying to expand its footprint in Meghalaya, along with Assam and Tripura. It became the main opposition party in Meghalaya after several Congress rebel MLAs led by former chief minister Mukul Sangma joined the Banerjee-led party.

At least six people, including five tribals from Meghalaya and an Assam forest guard, were killed in a violent clash along the disputed inter-state boundary in November last year.