SHILLONG:
Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) president KP Pangniang claimed that two of its MLAs-elect, Shakliar Warjri and Methodius Dkhar, will return, and that they made a hasty decision in joining hands with National People’s Party (NPP).
Addressing the press at a late evening press conference, Pangniang said that he finally had a telephonic conversation with the duo.
He said, “They gave the excuse that the meeting [at Lahkmen Rymbui’s residence] was delayed. They must have felt that the meeting went nowhere and they left.”
He explained to the greenhorns that the party already had discussions with the other groups comprising United Democratic Party, People’s Democratic Front, Voice of the People Party, Trinamool Congress and Indian National Congress to form a non-Bharatiya Janata Party and non-NPP government.
Pangniang said that Warjri and Dkhar have asked the United Democratic Party (UDP) and other five political parties to prepare the action plan for forming government without the NPP and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
He informed that they have asked the UDP to prepare a list of who will lead the state government, deputy chief minister besides the composition of the cabinet.
Pangniang said that the two will not disobey the party authority and hence they have asked all other parties to come out with their plans and if everything is settled, they will come back and sign the papers to support a government without NPP and BJP.
The HSPDP president categorically said that they need the two to be at the Raj Bhavan for the formation of government, which will not be delayed anymore.
Making a humorous comment as to why they chose to leave, Pangniang said, “You know that, during the formation of the government, from the experience that I had in the District Council, it is easier to watch over cattle than to watch over people.”
He went on to say that they were misled, but he also communicated to them that the decision of the party is supreme as to which government to join.
On the other hand, Pangniang said that the HSPDP will have to have one legislator as a cabinet minister and the coalition will have a Khasi chief minister.
Asked as to why not join the NPP, he said that they were concerned about the sentiments of the people while recalling the incident at Laitumkhrah when a fire broke out at the office of Dkhar on Friday evening in a case of suspected arson.
He said, “The MLAs were also hasty.”