Ex-Congress leader accuses Pala of working against party legislators

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaDecember 1, 2021

Former Congress working president James Lyngdoh on Wednesday accused the newly elected Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee chief Vincent H Pala of working against the party legislators during past elections.

Addressing media persons after tendering his resignation letter to AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, James also hailed the recent mass exodus of the 12 MLAs led by former chief minister Mukul Sangma to All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) by saying “they have done the right thing by leaving the Congress”.

When asked to elaborate his allegation, he cited the example of Sutnga-Saipung legislator Shitlang Pale who managed to get only five votes from Pala’s village.

“Shitlang got only 5 votes and lost in the 2013 Assembly elections. When he was re-elected in 2018, he again secured only twenty-eight votes from Pala’s village, which means that the MPCC chief is working against Shitlang,” he said.

He also slammed Pala for delaying in taking over as MPCC chief. “He (Pala) 18-19 days to take charge of office and when he did, the first thing he did was sidelined me, who had worked very hard in all three MP elections,” James said.

Further, the former Congress leader also alleged that one of the main reasons for the Congress’ downfall was due to the attempt by the MPCC chief to create a division among the three tribes – Khasi, Jaintia and Garo.

“This has also led to the defeat of the Congress in the just concluded Rajabala bypoll. Pala had stated people should vote for the Congress to get a Khasi chief minister. Conrad Sangma took that statement as an election agenda,” he said.

Regarding the Mawryngkneng bypoll, James also questioned the decision of the MPCC to sideline Charles Pyngrope, who is also the father of the former sitting MLA, (L) David A Nongrum by appointing Ampareen Lyngdoh as the convener during the election campaigning.

“They (MPCC) wanted to push Charles Pyngrope to Mawryngkneng in 2023 by allowing the party candidate Highlander Kharmalki to lose the bypoll,” he further alleged.

Moreover, James said that the downfall of the Congress in Meghalaya in fact started with the removal of veteran political leader DD Lapang as MPCC chief in 2017.

“The Congress could have won many seats but because of the change of guard (Lapang’s removal), they again decided to give forms to aspiring candidates despite exercise was already done by Lapang, this had led to the party winning only 21 seats in 2018 Assembly polls,” he stated.

He also questioned the decision to appoint Dr Celestine Lyngdoh as MPCC chief when senior leaders like RC Laloo and HDR Lyngdoh were available.

James also snubbed Dr Celestine for his failure as former MPCC president. “Have you ever seen him (Dr Celestine) campaigning during the 2018 Assembly elections and other elections to the ADCs and Member of Parliament,” he asked.