SHILLONG, JAN 23: In a major boost to the ruling Congress, two sitting legislators today resigned as members of the Assembly to contest on Congress ticket while BJP leaders from North Shillong constituency also joined the party.
Independent MLA from Bajengdoba seat, Brigady Marak and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator from Mendipathar constituency, Marthon Sangma resigned as members of the ninth Meghalaya Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
Apart from Brigady and Marthon, three more MLAs will quit as members of the Assembly to contest as candidates of the Congress in the upcoming Assembly polls slated for February 27.
According to Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) working president Vincent H Pala, the names of these legislators who will be joining the party were also included during a party meeting to screen the candidates of the party.
Meanwhile, Congress also got a further boost as four leaders of the BJP from North Shillong constituency formally joined the party at the Congress Bhavan here on Tuesday.
These include former BJP Shillong city president Keith Pariat, former BJP North Shillong Mandal president WO Thangkhiew, former treasurer Sunshine Warjri and executive member William Marbaniang.
It may be mentioned that Pariat was also one of the ticket aspirants from the BJP to contest for the North Shillong seat, which is presently represented by health minister Roshan Warjri.
The former BJP leaders were welcomed by the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief Celestine Lyngdoh in the presence of AICC general secretary in-charge Meghalaya CP Joshi and Shillong MP Vincent H Pala.
“They have taken the right decision at the right time by joining hands with the Congress party. The act you have done is a message for all the people in the state to look in the right direction for the better future of the state,” Lyngdoh said.
Stating that Congress is a party where opinion of every member is regarded, MPCC chief said, “Unlike leaders of other political parties, our AICC president Rahul Gandhi is gracious enough to admit that as leaders we do make mistakes and are willing to learn from them.”
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Pariat, a former headman of Jaiaw Pdeng and also son-in-law of former veteran Congress leader (L) Friday Lyngdoh, said that he would definitely apply for party ticket from the Congress.
“Yes I will be applying for ticket and I leave it to the party to decide as to whom they will choose to give the ticket to,” he said.
With his entry, the Congress has now two ticket aspirants from North Shillong constituency which includes advocate WHD Syngkon, who is also headman of Mawkhar.
The BJP is likely to field former MLA John Anthony Lyngdoh, who is also the vice president of the party from the constituency.
Asked, Pariat said that the main reason for them quitting the BJP was due to mismanagement in the state party and also the fear expressed by tribal people in the state.
“It is frankly the general fear of the people of the North East region that if the BJP comes, certain things might happen which is not friendly and not good to them. That is why we took these feelings seriously and we sat so many meetings where we had secret discussions then we took a stern decision that we have to leave the party,” he said.
Alleging that the BJP is being run in a haphazard manner in the state, Pariat said even the state president of the BJP Shibun Lyngdoh was not given a chance to act freely.
“A state head was supposed to be the person taking all important decisions but within the BJP here he was given the chance to act freely as there were certain powers that was trying to stifle and bind him from acting the way he should,” he said.
Asked on the BJP prospect in the upcoming polls, Pariat said the present mismanagement of the state executive committee will surely affect the party’s performance in this upcoming election.
Stating that when the BJP came in the state, it was having a bright future, he however said, “You immediately compare when PM came in 2015 the rush you could have seen we have to push our way in to get to see him but this time when he came you can see the difference it is a worrying factor for the BJP and I feel this may affect its performance in the upcoming elections.”
He further claimed that there is definitely a possibility that more people will leave the BJP and join the Congress in the coming days because many are “disgruntled”.
By Our Reporter
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