SHILLONG:
Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) working president Pynshngain N Syiem, on February 21, informed that a team has been constituted to pursue the five recently suspended MLAs to come back to the party.
“Our door is always open for them,” he said, adding that party workers too are exserting pressure to facilitate the five MLAs’ return to the Congress.
Citing how the National People’s Party managed only two legislators in 2013 elections, but went on to have 20-plus MLAs in the 60-member house in 2018, Syiem said, “To say that we are less confident because no MLAs are with us, will be incorrect as the electorate is still with the Congress party,” he said.
The Congress had recently suspended five legislators for supporting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-backed National People’s Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government.
Stating that the Congress now has a new vision and track, Syiem said new faces working together with the veterans will ensure the party a big win in the next year’s elections. He also exuded confidence that the Congress’ vote bank is still very much intact in every constituency of the state.
Hinting that many “political dramas” will unfold post the Assembly’s budget session, Syiem said, “Some leaders may join the Congress. We are having discussing with them from time to time,” he informed.
Brushing off speculations that the party’s four members of district councils (MDCs), including Bajop Pyngrope and B Ryntathiang, are likely to join the National People’s Party (NPP), Syiem said that all the current seven Congress MDCs are “very much with us” and there is “no sign that they are planning to join other political parties”.
“Yes, there are reports stating that they may join the NPP, but till today, there has been no such signs. But I cannot say for sure whether they will join or not,” he said. Two weeks ago, Congress MDC, Fantin Lakadong had switched over to the NPP.
When asked about Bajop’s disappointment after his name was removed from the result of the election to the president of the party’s state youth wing, the MPCC working president said that he cannot comment on the matter since the election was conducted by the Indian Youth Congress (IYC).
“In fact, when Bajop met his uncle and All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) leader Charles Pyngrope, people had speculated that he may join the Trinamool. Now, again because of this youth president election, it is speculated that he may join other parties. But as of now, there is no sign as he is very much with us,” he added.