Meghalaya Cong undeterred, says will bring in new faces, more women

Shillong: Putting up a brave face after the desertion of 12 of its MLAs, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) of Meghalaya on Thursday held a meeting with its remaining 5 MLAs.

CLP leader Dr Ampareen Lyngdoh informed the media that very soon they will “raise new faces, including women candidates who have a winnability factor”. The Congress said it would also ensure that such women don’t get marginalised and will provide the hand holding they deserve through the party forum. 

Sharing that the party has take some decision at the meeting, Lyngdoh said, “We will show up like we always do. The poaching will be beneficial in the long run. Through these new faces that we will bring, we will infuse and increase the dynamics of the Congress party.”

The CLP leader added that they are not disheartened and are not looking back but are going forward with a new zeal to ensure the party grows and is built again with a focus that is productive for the people in the state.

Lyngdoh, who took over as the CLP leader after Dr Mukul Sangma defected from the party and merged with the TMC on November 25, is now the senior most leader and also the first female CLP leader in Meghalaya.

Lyngdoh said lots of questions were asked on the stand of the party through its CLP on the issue of empowering women in politics. “As a woman, I feel close to this agenda but we are a party that doesn’t differentiate between men and women, who are adequately balanced, and have insight of politics that will benefit the state,” clarified Lyngdoh.

The Congress is now working to strengthen all the blocks from where the 12 deserters had functioned as MLAs, she said, adding that the party has dissolved various blocks and also ensured that sympathisers of the 12 MLAs are stripped of their responsibilities. She said this is to ensure that there is no further dilution of the strength of support that the party enjoys.

The CLP also decided that the remaining petition against two more members – Shitlang Pale and Charles Pyngrope – will be filed on December 10.

“We have several strong points that we are yet to put down on paper and include in the last two petitions. We will have consultations with legal experts, senior citizens who have been in politics; we will take all views and will pen down correct inclusion of agendas to seek disqualification,” said Lyngdoh.

On the question of petitioning to the parent body of NSUI for dissolving of the state NSUI, she said, “The need to dissolve the NSUI became a crucial agenda because several of those members may or may not want to join the defecting group. We believe in our decision, the intention of the Congress party was not to antagonize members who will remain constant with party.”

At the CLP meeting, other issues discussed were raising the also discussed on several ongoing issues in the state and has urged the government to pay heed to it. Issues like SSA non payment of salaries, non receipt of payment of Municipal Board- Shillong Jowai and tura.

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