Many ex-Congress leaders to join back: Pala

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 20, 2024

Opposition Congress chief Vincent H Pala on Friday claimed that many including former MLAs and former ministers will soon join back the party in the state.

Speaking to reporters, Pala said, “There is no denying the fact that so many MLAs left and there is no denying the fact also that so many of them want to come back as of today.”

Ridiculing those who blamed him for their decision to leave the Congress, the former Shillong MP said, “12 MLAs left the Congress and joined TMC but tell me how many of them remained in the TMC and joined the UDP, NPP and other parties? Why should that reflect on me? In the Congress when they left they said because of Pala but when they left the TMC then they will say because of what, because of whom? At the same time, five of them left the Congress – they may say because of Pala but some of them joined the other parties, for example one MLA joined three parties in a year so whom they will blame. I think it is not proper for them. The only thing is that Congress in the opposition will not serve their personal interests but we are here not to serve their personal interests, we are here to work for the interest of the people.”

“All of us at one point or the other must have got the offer or temptation come and join us you will get jobs, roads but if we lost our ideology, ethics, we lose everything in politics so same thing, today they are with TMC, tomorrow with the UDP, day after with the BJP what they will have with them. Nothing left with them,” he added.

Pala informed that the party will hold a meeting in South West Khasi Hills on October 11-12, where some of the leaders will join back.

“It is not proper for me to tell in advance because they are yet to resign and yet to join so we will tell you in a proper time but I guarantee you many of them will come back. On one side, Congress supporters and on the other side Congress workers. The Congress workers, who left us are ready to come back and even yesterday we had a meeting and many of them are ready to come back. I think you will see many are joining us. (We fear) once they join, people start buying them. That is why we go slowly. There are former MLAs and former ministers will also be there,” he added.

Rejecting the notion that he’s the most unpopular MPCC president, Pala said, “I cannot judge myself but I can tell you I don’t surrender. In Arunachal when they lost the elections, they resigned and the party totally collapsed but I didn’t surrender. Whether people leave or not, whether I lost, I have not surrendered. I work for the party.”

He said that the party had even congratulated him under his leadership that Tura parliamentary seat came back to the Congress after so many decades.

“…When I lost it was not unceremoniously, in Meghalaya, we got highest in terms of vote share. How can you say I am the most unpopular”?” he said.

On the other hand, AICC joint secretary incharge Meghalaya Adv. Matthew Anthony expressed confidence that the Congress will do exceptionally well in the upcoming elections to the three autonomous district councils (ADCs), which are likely to be held next year.

“You will see the Congress with a lot of faces, who are active, passionate and to be serving the people of Meghalaya in the coming days ahead and from a larger perspective, we intent and we believe that we will have a significant presence in the MDC elections on fighting for the people of Meghalaya,” he said.

“All our decisions on many of our political matters are keeping the people of Meghalaya’s interests in the forefront. We are not running away from internal discussions. You know the matter is being discussed heavily internally and appropriate decisions will be made but the interests of the people will be in the forefront while making decisions and we will perform extremely and exceptionally well in the MDC elections come February 2025,” he stated.