Mukul says no question of going back to Congress

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaDecember 4, 2024

Putting an end to all speculations, AITC leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma on Wednesday said there is no question of him going back to the Congress because it is working with the National People’s Party (NPP)-led MDA government.

According to him, he is fighting against the present dispensation, which is responsible for dislocating the momentum of growth and development of the state. 

Speaking to reporters, Sangma said, “You are asking me when I will go back to Congress? But Congress is also with them. Is it not a fact? Is not Congress with NPP?” You go to district council. So you are talking about Congress in Meghalaya, which is completely directionless. If they have proper direction or sense of direction then they would know whether they should associate with NPP or not.

They speaking something in the public domain but behind the scene they are hand in glove.”

“So Dr Mukul Sangma is putting an end to this speculation because I cannot dilute my focus, my determination to serve the people, to build the state in a manner which comensurate to the dream and aspiration of the people,” he added.

Asked, Sangma said his decision not to go back to the Congress is not a case of individual (or because of Vincent H Pala).

“It is not the case of individual. I will not confine to that. This is not my view. This is not my opinion. It is a complex problem. If you go by what I have said in the preceeding years, it is not something which revolves around an individual. Therefore, you are fighting against a dispensation and you are talking about Congress which is directly or indirectly hand in glove with the same dispensation. So why should I go? Do I need Congress to serve people? I start my innings as an MLA. I don’t have a godfather in politics. I have only the people, who share the same ideas and whoever dare to fight will be with me. I don’t believe in shortcut,” he stated. 

Somebody say if mukul sangma go it will be easier for him. That is their opinion. It may be easier but Mukul Sangma doesn’t believe in not fighting. Mukul Sangma believes in fighting for the right cause. 

Further, the former chief minister said that the present dispensation under the leadership of the NPP has not been able to maintain or go beyond the benchmark set by his government in the past. 

“I always refer to the benchmark that we set in the past. Why we talk about the benchmark, a new benchmark in matters of governance, a new benchmark in matters of serving the people and creating that positive perception in respect of our given democratic system so that people will have faith in the system of democracy. Setting up a new benchmark so that anybody, who have the privilege of succeeding and carrying the responsibility of building the state and serving the people also look at that benchmark and go beyond that benchmark and if not beyond at least maintain that benchmark. Now the present dispensation has not been able to do that irrespective of their rhetorics,” he alleged.

Stating that he is fighting the NPP-led government in the state, Sangma said, “I am fighting against this dispensation with the kind of trust and faith I have in the people of the state. Therefore, the responsibility towards protecting the interest of the state and building a future for our generation next is our responsibility.”

He however said, “Now, the present dispensation have to a great extent dislocated the momentum of development. The opportunities, which are open up for the people, who want to have start ups, small cafe, restuarants – Now these are slowly monopolized.” 

He alleged that the policy of the government has been so designed that all businesses are monopolized and are available to only selected few. 

“These are manifestation of the impunity with which they are abusing their powers for opression and monopolizing the opportunity of livelihood and business. You ask any businessmen, you ask any entrepreneurs in Shillong forget about going elsewhere ask them whether they have the same opportunities ask them. 

You take the list of entrepreneurs, ask them if they are getting the same opportunity now. No. It has been completely subsumed to bigger projects so that smaller men cannot enter anymore. Do you mean to say that all entrepreneurs of Khasi and Jaintia Hills are big businessmen, they have big business reserve that they can compete whenever there is big projects in the offing,” Sangma said while adding “This is the modus operandi adopted to slowly displace our own local entrepreneurs and businessmen and in the process dislocate their livelihood. This is happening.”

Meanwhile, Sangma also refused to rule out on speculation that he would be floating his own political party.