Congress not in a hurry to take action against 5 MLAs

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 4, 2022

Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief Vincent H Pala on Friday said the party is not in a hurry to expel anybody.

“We are not in a hurry to throw anybody. Throwing, suspension and expulsion will be the last resort,” Pala told reporters after chairing a meeting of the party.

He said that five MLAs cannot claim that they are independents since the mandate was given to them as Congress. “Suspension is not a punishment, it is a time when you can talk and negotiate…,” Pala added.

Stating that a group has been formed to reach out to the five MLAs, he said, “I have already approached them now we have to approach (through the) workers.”

“(After discussion with the grassroot workers) we will submit a report to the AICC. The timeframe, suspension and expulsion will depend on the AICC,” he added.

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When asked, Pala said everybody likes to be part of the government but “you cannot compromise your ideology as long as the BJP is there in the government”.

He further alleged that all this (political situation) was planned by the BJP because people at the grassroot level do not accept them.  

Earlier, MPCC working president PN Syiem informed that the meeting has entrusted the MPCC president, working presidents, vice presidents and district presidents to take a final decision with regards to the suspension of the five MLAs.

Syiem said whether the MLAs will come back or not, there is a big problem for them as the MLAs cannot take decisions on their own on whether to quit the party.

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On the MLAs not responding to the show cause notice even after the ten days’ time had already expired on February 24, the working president however said there is no time frame as such and that the MLAs are given more time to discuss with their supporters at the block level.

“Yes, they are not attached with the Congress party after suspension but officially they can consult with party workers. As there is no time frame for them to reply to the show cause then there is no bar for them to take some more time to discuss at the block level,” he said.

If the MLAs will be expelled from the Congress, Syiem said, “The question of expulsion or suspension or any further action I cannot say anything right now until the president along with the vice president, the president of DDC, general secretary sit together and take a decision.”