The Congress in Meghalaya on Wednesday welcomed former minister Zenith Sangma back into its fold, a day after he resigned from the Trinamool Congress. In a letter to A Chellakumar, AICC secretary in-charge of Meghalaya, Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said party president Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal for Sangma’s rejoining of the Indian National Congress (INC). Sangma was formally welcomed into the party in Shillong by Meghalaya PCC president Vincent H Pala and other senior leaders. The announcement was made in Shillong by MPCC president Vincent H. Pala, following approval from the All India Congress Committee (AICC).
Sangma’s return, the Congress said, is a direct rebuttal to the ruling NPP’s claim that the party is “finished” in Meghalaya. Instead, it signifies a renewed wave of confidence and revival for the Grand Old Party, which has been rebuilding its grassroots networks and reconnecting with long-time supporters. The MPCC hailed Sangma’s homecoming as symbolic of a wider political reawakening, noting that several leaders disillusioned by “opportunism and corruption” in other parties are returning to the Congress fold. The party said this resurgence is being driven by “faith in democratic values, constitutional integrity, and people-centric governance.” With Sangma’s return, the Congress is expected to regain ground in the Garo Hills, especially ahead of the GHADC elections, strengthening its organisational base and morale.
The Congress framed Sangma’s return not merely as a political event but as a response to a national crisis of democracy. In its statement, the MPCC accused the BJP-led government of eroding institutional independence, citing the “weaponisation” of central agencies like the ED, CBI, and Income Tax Department to target opposition leaders. The party said that between 2014 and 2022, 95% of politicians investigated by the Enforcement Directorate were from opposition parties, alleging that anti-corruption drives had become tools of political vendetta. “The struggle today is not between parties, but between democracy and despotism,” the statement read, adding that the Congress remains the “moral force” defending constitutional freedoms and the pluralistic idea of India. Sangma’s return also underscores growing discontent over what the Congress called the “collapse of governance” under the NPP–BJP regime. The statement accused the government of economic mismanagement, unchecked illegal coal mining, and widespread corruption.