AICC incharge Meghalaya confident that Cong will form EC in 2 ADCs, Pala says MLAs shifting allegiance not a setback to Cong
All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge Meghalaya Dr A Chellakumar on Saturday expressed confidence that the party will form the new executive committee (EC) in the two autonomous district councils (ADCs) of Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
“We will definitely revive the Congress. In this district council election, we will definitely form the council,” Dr Chellakumar told reporters after a party meeting.
He also claimed that the Congress is very fast growing and said, “A lot of people want to join the Congress party and already they have joined and many more people will join the Congress and we will admit one by one, you will come to know in due course of time.”
Asked on the party’s decision to pull out of the NPP-led EC in the KHADC just ahead of the ADC polls, Dr Chellakumar said, “That’s what I have also explained that to the candidates (of the party) that we have joined with the NPP in the district council to strengthen the Sixth Schedule (to the Constitution of India).”
“Congress is not sharing the power in Delhi today but NPP in the last 10 years, they are sharing the power in Delhi but they are not able to include the language in the Eighth Schedule till today but when the Congress joined hands in the district council, they could empower the women and the youth. So this is the difference between the Congress and other political parties,” he stated.
Adding to this, Congress chief and former Shillong MP Vincent H Pala said, “We continued working with the NPP up to a certain date till the amendment (of the Sixth Schedule) is finalised and parliamentary (committee) accepts the recommendations submitted by PN Syiem and others belonging to other political parties during their meeting with the Home Ministry in Delhi.”
Pala also expressed confidence that the people of Khasi and Jaintia Hills will vote for the Congress this time with a clear mandate based on its contribution to the people of Meghalaya through the Sixth Schedule and different amendments/Bills.
“We have taken a stand, we know that the NPP has taken our MLAs and taken our MDCs but we said the MLAs can be taken today but tomorrow we will get more MDCs and more MLAs if we stand with the people, we stand with the truth, we stand with our intention, with our vision,” he said.
Further, Pala said he doesn’t see the decision of the MLAs to leave the party as a setback but it is instead an opportunity to strengthen the party in the state.
“We take this challenges as an opportunity for us to infuse young minds, young bloods and people with good education and good background, that is why I think it is a big challenge at the beginning but later on I find it that it is an opportunity for us to show our strength and it is an opportunity for the people of our state also see that though we suffered and people also know why they have left the party as many of them have left the party for their personal benefits and not for the benefit of the public,” he said while adding “So now the public has come back to us. See the way people are seeking tickets and the way people are coming and joining the Congress – that is a sign that it is not a setback for us, rather we take it as an opportunity to move forward and to take everybody along with us.”
“Many in Garo Hills have also joined back the Congress. These include ex-ministers, ex-MLAs. Now I can confidently and boldly say that it is not a setback but is an opportunity for many people to come. Rather in one way it is a blessing for the party. When old people, who used to manipulate the party and who didn’t allow the party to grow, now we have a chance to grow better and we have a chance to grow faster also with more confidence,” Pala further added.
So far, the Congress has announced 42 candidates for the upcoming elections to the KHADC and JHADC. The name of Lawrence Nongrum was also announced today as a candidate from Nongpoh constituency.
Pala said the party will contest from 28 out of 29 seats in KHADC. “We may or may not contest one seat because as of today we don’t have applicants from Laban constituency,” he added.
In regards to Jaintia Hills region, the MPCC chief said that he would be convening a meeting in the region on January 14 and likely finalisation of candidates will be done by January 15 or 16. So far only 16 candidates have been announced for the JHADC polls.
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