SHILLONG, JAN 5: Cabinet minister Celestine Lyngdoh today formally took over charge as the new Congress chief in Meghalaya even as he stressed the need to safeguard the secular fabric of the country.
Outgoing Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief DD Lapang handed over the mantle to lead the Congress to Lyngdoh during a function held in city here on Friday.
Chief minister Mukul Sangma, cabinet ministers, MLAs besides party leaders and functionaries from the different districts also attended the welcoming ceremony of the new MPCC president.
Addressing on the occasion, Lyngdoh said, “Faces may change (in the party) but the values of Congress will never change. The values of respecting each other cultures, groups and how to prosper together…these will never change.”
The legislator from Umsning constituency was appointed as new MPCC president by the AICC president Rahul Gandhi on December 30, last year. Along with him, Shillong MP Vincent H Pala was also appointed as the working president.
When he was informed about this decision, Lyngdoh said, “I was taken by surprise because we are only a month away to the elections and I remembered that I also have to contest the elections. Then I contacted Pala that if he is willing to do more work I will accept it because I have to lead the party by example and that is I have to win the elections.”
He further sought the support and cooperation of all concerned to bring victory to the Congress party in the upcoming Assembly polls.
Stating that the ideology of the Congress party is inclusiveness, the newly appointed PCC chief however said, “This inclusiveness now is under threat with section of the people saying that India is only for the Hindus which we beg to differ.”
“This very basic fabric (inclusiveness) has to be safeguarded at any cost and the Congress is the only party which can do that,” he added.
Lauding the leadership of the chief minister Mukul Sangma, Lyngdoh said that the Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme, which is the brain child of the CM, is the best in the country.
Asserting that the upcoming election will be very crucial for the party, the president also urged the block presidents to identify the right candidate for the right constituency.
“Let us work together to ensure the next government will be formed not by others but by the Congress,” he said.
Earlier in his speech, Pala said that the Congress has a better chance in the upcoming election as there is a big division among the opposition political parties.
“The BJP is coming in a big away so also the National People’s Party and the People Democratic Front. The oppositions to the Congress are divided,” he said.
Referring to the former MLAs who have left the Congress to join other political parties, the working president said but the Congress is finding better replacement by getting good candidates.
“Look at the qualities of those who left us. In Mawsynram and Nartiang, the party is fielding former IAS officers HM Shangpliang and Jopthiaw Lyngdoh and an engineer George Lyngdoh from Umroi,” he said.
He however said though the MLAs who left the party are good but the Congress now have better candidates.
By Our Reporter
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