Shillong/UNI: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday announced its first list of 52 candidates for the upcoming Meghalaya Assembly election, fielding former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma from two assembly constituencies Songsak and Tikrikilla.

Former Assembly Speaker Charles Pyngrope, who is also Meghalaya TMC president, will be contesting from the Nongthymmai assembly constituency while the party opposition chief whip, George B. Lyngdoh will contest from Umroi.

Announcing the names of the party candidates in 52 out of 60 assembly constituencies, Pyngrope informed that a total of five women candidates will be contesting in this election.

The list includes sitting TMC legislators, Dikkanchi D. Shira, Miani D. Shira, Zenith M. Sangma, Winnerson D. Sangm and Lazarus M. Sangma.

Mukul’s wife Dikkanchi will be contesting from Mahendraganj, his daughter Miani D. Shira from Ampati and his younger brother, Zenith M. Sangma from Rangsakona, while Winnerson and Lazarus will contest from Salmanpara and Chokpot respectively.

S.G. Eastamur Mominin who had resigned from the primary membership of the ruling National People's Party and from the state assembly will be contesting from Phulbari.

Pyngrope said the remaining names in eight constituencies will be declared in the coming days.

“We have considered a lot of factors in the elaborate process and after a thorough discussion among senior members of the party and committee, the list has been announced,” the state TMC chief said.

Mukul, who joined TMC in November 2021 along with 11 other Congress legislators, said, “We are expecting the people of the state will think about the secure future of Meghalaya. The state has really suffered because of the usually fractured mandate that has been the trend in Meghalaya. We will reach out to people to take into consideration the larger interest of people and the state.”

The TMC did not win a single seat in the 2018 Assembly elections but became the opposition party in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly after 12 Congress deserted the grand-old party and joined the Mamata Banerjee –led party.

Dr. Mukul served as the Chief Minister from 2010 and 2018 and is currently the leader of the opposition in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.