The Hindu : Sangma merges faction with Trinamool

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 14, 2004

Front Page

Front Page

Sangma merges faction with Trinamool

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MARCH 13. The Purno Sangma breakaway faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today announced its merger with the Trinamool Congress of Mamata Banerjee and formed the "Nationalist Trinamool Congress."

The decision came less than a week after the Election Commission accorded recognition to the Sharad Pawar group as the NCP.

The new party, to be headed by Ms. Banerjee, will retain the All-India Trinamool Congress symbol of "Flower with Grass." The announcement came at a joint press conference by Ms. Banerjee and Mr. Sangma.

The Nagaland Chief Minister, Nephio Rio, chairman of the Northeast People's Forum, was present on the occasion.

Mr. Rio's Naga People's Front leads the coalition government in Nagaland and is aligned with the National Democratic Party.

Ms. Banerjee, however, sidestepped questions whether she endorsed Mr. Sangma's well-known views on the foreign origin of the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, saying she did not want him to "change his stand [on the issue]" while Mr. Sangma said: "There is no difference of opinion between me and her [Ms. Banerjee] on any issue."

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

News Update

Stories in this Section

Mayawati rules out alliance with Congress

India clinches thriller against Pakistan

"If I had wanted... I would have become PM in 1991"

And the winner is... ah, well, cricket!

No tie-up with Congress: SP

Sangma merges faction with Trinamool

Vajpayee, Sonia congratulate Ganguly

Direct roaming for Indian mobile phones in Pakistan

V.C. Shukla joins BJP

Killed in blast

Delinquents flee homes

India loses to Pakistan