SHILLONG : The Trinamool Congress (TMC) will not contest the upcoming Shillong Lok Sabha bypoll, with party state president Charles Pyngrope saying the party currently has no “proper face” to field as its candidate.
Speaking on Tuesday, Pyngrope said the party has been approached by the Congress and other political parties seeking its support in the bypoll.
“Everybody has reached out… it depends on us what line we will take,” Pyngrope said.
He, however, clarified that the TMC has not yet decided whether to support any particular candidate or party.
Pyngrope said the party would take a decision on whether to remain neutral or extend support to a candidate at a later stage.
The decision means the TMC will stay out of the electoral contest for the Shillong Lok Sabha seat, while the party’s eventual position could still have political significance as parties prepare for the bypoll.
The Shillong Lok Sabha constituency is one of Meghalaya’s two parliamentary seats and covers the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region.