Congress already a winner with Gambegre bye-poll pulling down the CM, his ministers to their knees: Saleng

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 4, 2024

Congress leader and Tura MP Saleng A Sangma on Monday said his party is already a winner because the Gambegre bye-election has been able to pull down right from the chief minister to his council of ministers and legislators to their knees to beg the people of the constituency for votes by addressing their many issues.

Speaking to media persons, Saleng said, “I have not seen chief minister campaigning door to door in any of the constituency not even in his constituency but right now jumping to the area where he is not suppose to but I am glad and happy that he could see through the Gambegre what are the areas that need to be projected to. Now because of his wife only, he is going door to door, colony to colony and village to village. I am happy that this bye election has pulled down each and every minister, pulling them down to the ground to see what are the realities people are facing. The Gambegre bye election has really given them a lesson.”

The MP said, “Whether we win or lose, I think I have won the battle…Congress has already won the election. You know why? Because all the ministers, Speaker and every MLA is going to each and every corner of my old constituency Gambegre whereas before they never even dream of going  to the colonies or they never wanted to also but now see this Gambegre bye election has pulled them down like anything. And then you know they are begging for votes. See the importance of people right now.”

“Have you ever seen the Speaker, chief minister, deputy chief minister, everybody is going to each and every household? All MLAs and ministers are going down to one constituency and seeing the problems and trying to address the problems of the people. See the power of the people,” he added.

Asked, Saleng said, “Who would be idiotically nonsense to believe that one? Since they are hands in glove with the BJP right now, right here in the state and they are hands in glove being in the government. Whom do they think they are trying to fool? Tell me? Are we nonsense?”

He also alleged, “Not only money but they have already used all government machinery out there which I love it because now people can see and people can feel when they are strong, they can pull down even the chief minister and the speaker to the ground.”

When asked, Saleng said, “In certain areas, I have also apologized if I could not reach certain areas so I don’t beg for votes. I ask them to look at the report cards of each and every year about what I have done and what I have not done. If you don’t have the progress report, don’t go back. I have given them the progress report,” he said.

“When they (NPP) are talking about development, they are insulting their own father. (L) PA Sangma had been the union minister, he had also been the Speaker (of Lok Sabha) and that time even the state was under him, his brothers in law were ministers that time. If Garo Hills is backward, they should blame their own people. 47 years is not a joke. I was not even born at that time,” the MP also stated.

To an allegation by the NPP that his wave will not impact the bye election, Saleng said, “If my wave has not impacted, whom you are seeing on the ground day to day, door to door? Will they have gone? Any people with common sense will not believe in the bluff. They have seen everybody has seen why the chief minister is there 24 hours? Why is the Speaker there? Why are all ministers campaigning in each and every polling station and colony? The NPP has felt threatened by the people and not by the Congress because if people had not voted for me for the Congress in this bye election, they would not have been pulled down to their knees.”

Saleng said, “I don’t have any mantra, actually it’s the people who will decide. God has given us a free will. Even the prime minister cannot change the mantra also. We have seen the prime minister campaigning in Garo Hills not a single seat was captured by BJP at all.”

The Congress is fielding Jingjang Marak as its candidate to retain the Gambegre seat. 

Saleng said the Congress’ candidate is very much a local person from Garo Hills. “He (Jingjang) is from Tura. He has been organizing not only from Tura but from all over Garo Hills and moreover, now since we have got some part of Tura after the delimitation he is very much local,” he added.