SHILLONG:
Former Home minister and Senior Congress leader HDR Lyngdoh on Wednesday tendered his resignation from the primary membership of the Congress.
Speaking to reporters at his residence, Lyngdoh said that it was high time regional parties held the reign of power in the state.
According to him, since 2010 the state has only had chief ministers from the western part of the state (Garo Hills) and it was now time leaders from Khasi-Jaintia Hills led the state.
It is speculated that Lyngdoh, who represented Sohiong constituency , is going to join the United Democratic Party soon.
He said the Congress in the state was in the dumps with 12 of the 17 MLAs having left for the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) while the remaining five joined the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government before being suspended.
“We have seen the Congress in the state as well as all over the country is declining and this has led the supporters of the party, especially in Sohiong constituency, to lose hope ,” Lyngdoh said.
He said that his supporters have said that there is no hope in the Congress and advised him to think afresh and leave the party and join another one.
Lyngdoh said that he is leaving the Congress with a heavy heart but is doing so due to the advice of his supporters.
“I confess that at the end of the day while serving my people in the constituency I have to pay heed to their voice and demands as they are the ones who are going to make me win or lose in the election. I am only their representative and they are the backbone, the strength and force behind me and without them I am nothing,” he said.
Lyngdoh said that he is forced to tender his resignation only for the fact that all his supporters want him to contest this coming assembly election in 2023 not from the Congress party but from the party of their collective choice.
He also clarified that his resignation from the Congress is not due to any differences with members of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC).
Lyngdoh also said that the Congress party elevated him to many senior positions to serve the people of Meghalaya.
When asked if he left the Congress since Mukul Sangma has left the party for the AITC, Lyngdoh said, “Leaders come and leaders go, nobody is indispensable and in any party that we are we hope that we will work hard and win the majority,” Lyngdoh said.
When asked about his closeness with Sangma, he said that the proximity was because of being in the same party and sharing the same principles and ideologies.
“It is not to say that because I am close to him I will follow him wherever he goes,” Lyngdoh said.