Border pact with Assam to be revoked if TMC comes to power in Meghalaya: Party manifesto

Shillong, Jan 24 (PTI) Opposition TMC in Meghalaya on Tuesday said it would “revoke” the border pact signed with Assam if it comes to power in the state, asserting that fresh consultations will be initiated for a “sustainable” solution to the boundary dispute.

Assembly polls in Meghalaya are scheduled to be held on February 27 and counting of votes will take place on March 2.

Assam and Meghalaya had in March 2022 decided to end their five-decade-old border crisis in six of the 12 contested locations

“To address the issue of unwarranted surrender of land to Assam and protect the residents in border villages, the Border MoU signed with the Government of Assam will be revoked, and a fresh set of consultations will be initiated to find a sustainable solution to the border crisis,” the TMC manifesto, released by the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, said.

“In addition, the security of residents of border villages will also be enhanced through the setting up of police check-posts in strategic locations, and prevent unwarranted firing of Mukroh-like incidents that led to the unfortunate death of innocent residents of Meghalaya,” it said.

The party also promised a “poverty-free” Meghalaya and assured a double-digit growth for the state in the next five years.

The TMC bolstered its footing in the northeastern state after 12 out of 17 Congress MLAs joined the party in 2021.