Opp Congress to file case against merger of 3 MLAs, to soon take a call on pulling out of NPP-led EC in KHADC

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 22, 2024

Following the recent setback, the opposition Congress has decided to move court against the merger of its three MLAs with the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) even as it will soon take a call on whether to pull out of executive committee in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC).  

Addressing the media after chairing a meeting of the party, Congress chief Vincent H Pala said, “We are consulting (with legal experts) and we are getting the papers (ready) so definitely we will file a case. There is no doubt about that.”

He informed that the party is still consulting with legal experts on how to go about challenging the Assembly Speaker’s order to recognize the merger of the three out of four party MLAs – Dr Celestine Lyngdoh (Umsning constituency), Charles Marngar (Mawhati constituency) and Gabriel Wahlang (Nongstoiñ constituency) – with the NPP on August 19.

Stating that the BJP’s target is to wipe out the Congress from the country, Pala said, “The NPP also has the same voice here – Meghalaya Congress Mukt. This voice is being tutored by the BJP. The people of Meghalaya should know that the BJP and the NPP relationship is becoming stronger and stronger.”

Further, the Congress president informed that the majority of the party workers have strongly expressed the need for the party to pull out of the NPP-led EC in the KHADC and have left it to the party leadership to soon take a call on the matter.

The Congress now is left with only two MDCs – Ronnie Lyngdoh (who is also Mylliem MLA) and Pynshngainlang N Syiem (Mawkhar-Pynthorumkhrah) – in the 30-member House following the switching sides of Charles Marngar and Gabriel Wahlang.

Pynshngainlang is currently the deputy chief executive member in the Pyniaid Sing Syiem-led EC.

“The mood of our workers is that we should go alone in the district council and they have also entrusted the president and his team to examine the pros and cons. The overall mood is that they are not happy with the way the NPP is doing and the way it is happening in the district council. So, most of them think that we should withdraw from the council,” Pala said.

“Pynshngain had assured them that we have a system. We are a national party. We cannot just walk in or walk out. We have a system. We have to see the pros and cons. The interest of the public has to be taken into consideration. We have told them and majority of them have expressed that they trust us and would leave the matter to us,” he added.

Pala said that the decision of the Congress to support the NPP-led EC in the KHADC was based on issues related to the amendment of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India and delimitation of the constituencies ahead of ADC elections.

“We took this decision with a good intention that we should contribute for the amendment of the Sixth Schedule and that we should not allow only the NPP and the BJP to dictate terms. We have experienced politicians like Pynshngain and his team at that time with MLAs and all, we said we should not allow the NPP and BJP to take decisions whatever they like. That was our intention (extending support to the NPP),” he said while adding “And also the delimitation of the district council and many other things which we need to contribute because at that time there was a big issue between the NPP and the UDP. So the people of Meghalaya and Khasi-Jaintia should have been left unattended if you didn’t participate. So our intention is to contribute to the welfare of the people.”

Asked on the delay to take a decision on the matter despite demand made by party workers following the MP elections, Pala said, “You may say that it may be late but our intention is that we are not a party which is under pressure by anybody. We should scrutinize and we should examine and see that the priority is to protect our people and preserve our culture, our land and our unity.”

Congress working president Pynshngain N Syiem said, “The voice of the party workers is to relook at our working together with the district council. This has been endorsed to the state president and leaders to discuss on this issue.”

“Because I think you understand it is not appropriate for us to act in a hurried manner. As wherever we are we have only one objective to do the best for our people. It is not too late for us because in the last one year you all know many things we did in the district council, we had many complicated issues until we worked together,” he said while adding “…we have contributed so much in the district council in terms of regulation, acts, rules. For example, we have passed many bills and amendments for the interest of our people.”