Shillong, Jan 15 (IANS): Trinamool Congress chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would visit Meghalaya on January 18 to address an election rally in North Garo Hills district, party sources said on Sunday.

A Trinamool Congress spokesman said that in her second visit to the hill state, Banerjee would address a public meeting at the Dilma Apal Playground, Mendipathar in North Garo Hills on January 18.

Banerjee would be accompanied by the party's National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, leader of Trinamool Parliamentary Party in Rajya Sabha Derek O'Brien, Meghalaya state party-in-charge Manas Ranjan Bhunia, Meghalaya state party president Charles Pyngrope and opposition leader Mukul Sangma would also attend the public event.

To woo the electorates, in December last year, Banerjee was on a two-day visit to the capital city of Shillong where she promised to launch Trinamool Congress' Meghalaya Financial Inclusion for Women Empowerment (MFI-WE) if the party is voted to power after the polls.

The Trinamool Congress is the first party in Meghalaya that recently declared their candidates for 52 of the total of 60 seats.

Twelve MLAs, led by former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma (2010-2018) who had won in the 2018 Assembly election as Congress nominees joined the Trinamool Congress in November 2021, making the West Bengal-based party the main opposition in the northeastern state overnight.

However, weeks before the announcement of Assembly elections, two Trinamool Congress MLAs switching loyalty quitting the Assembly recently joined the ruling National People's Party (NPP) and another joined BJP.

With three MLAs leaving the Trinamool Congress, the party's strength in the 60-member Assembly has come down to nine now.