JA Lyngdoh rejoins Congress

“People have already made up their mind that this time they want change and the voters of North Shillong will not go with any candidate who comes from the MDA government,” said Lyngdoh, who was welcomed by Congress working presidents – PN Syiem and Deborah Marak in presence of party workers and his supporters.

Lyngdoh, who recently quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after being sidelined for the past four and a half years, was referring to the candidates from the National People’s Party (NPP), United Democratic Party (UDP) and BJP.

“Till today we don’t know who will be the candidate of the BJP but that you can ask from the BJP only,” he said.

Lyngdoh had won three consecutive terms from 1998 to 2008 from Nongspung constituency. In 2018, he was defeated by North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum by a thin margin.

He also recalled that late Purno Agitok Sangma was the one who appointed him as Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress (MPYC) president from 1987-89 and who pushed him into electoral politics.

The former minister said that corruption under the MDA government is too high.

“The people of Shillong City and of the state are fed with the style and functioning of this government. This has come from each and every quarter. That is why they have requested me don’t go to any party after you have resigned from the BJP, go back to your parent party- the Congress as this is the only party who can take up issues against this MDA government,” he said while assuring to take up issues concerning the people of the state.

On the issue related to the relocation of the residents of Sweepers’ colony to the existing official quarters of Shillong Municipal Board, Lyngdoh said, “That is the duty of the government. Let us see first whether this is only a play for them to prolong this or is it a serious one. Right now I don’t want to say anything on this because this is a very long pending issue.”

When asked, the former BJP vice president said that he decided to quit the BJP because of the state president Ernest Mawrie.

“I have left the BJP because of him (Ernest Mawrie). The day he took over as president of the state party I was totally sidelined by him for the last four and a half years. I tried to request him many times that I want to sit with you and help the party to grow. If you need my help to guide you I will be there. I am interested to see that BJP should grow in Meghalaya for the 2023 election.

But bad luck for me, he doesn’t want me to be part of his team. Anyways I kept quiet,” he said.

“After that he projected Rocky Hek for the last four and a half years. Still then I did not fight against that, I still continue to be a BJP man. I want to prove I am very loyal to the party. After four and a half years Rocky Hek left the party then again Ernest Mawrie instead of consulting me because in the last 2018 election I lost by a very small margin from this constituency but when I was totally sidelined by him that has made me a little bit disturbed and then again I talked to him when Rocky Hek left why not we sit and forget about the four and a half years but very difficult to understand his mindset.

Then in a few days, he projected Martamlin Pyrbot from another constituency. That has made me realize that it will be difficult for me to stay in the BJP for long as I was totally sidelined, so I decided to leave this party so I left gracefully,” Lyngdoh added.

Recently, a BJP member and one of the ticket aspirants from North Shillong constituency Michael Kharsyntiew had also requested Lyngdoh not to contest the 2023 elections.

In response to this, Lyngdoh said, “I feel pity for Michael. He should have come and requested me during the time when I was still a BJP man. He never talks to me about his candidature or that he is interested in contesting the election. But after I left, I saw only in the media that he had requested me. So I have nothing to say as that is only his request as I don’t feel that I should withdraw my resignation and go back to the BJP.”

Earlier while addressing the meeting to welcome Lyngdoh, PN Syiem said that the decision of the former minister to rejoin the party will not only help the North Shillong Block Congress Committee but will also help the MPCC as a whole.

“In fact we have no candidate from North Shillong as our ticket aspirant has run away and applied for a ticket from other parties but the entry of JA Lyngdoh, it has changed the situation. This is because JA Lyngdoh is well known to the people of North Shillong. In the last election, he contested from BJP and lost by a few margin. This time I think he has got a full chance to win the elections as people of the state as a whole, especially in the urban areas, are not happy with the performance of the present MDA government,” he said.

By Our Reporter