Pala apologizes for losing Shillong seat, says it is high time for Saleng to repay what BJP, its friends did to Congress in GH

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 6, 2024

Congress chief and former Shillong MP Vincent H Pala on Saturday apologized for losing in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections even as he asked newly elected MP from Tura Saleng A Sangma to repay what the BJP and its friends did to the Congress in Garo Hills. 

Speaking at a programme to felicitate Sangma for his landslide victory from Garo Hills region, Pala said “I also stand here to say sorry because I lost the election. I take full responsibility for the loss.”

Stating that failure is a stepping stone towards success, the former MP said, “Everyone here, be it Ronnie V Lyngdoh, be it Gabriel Wahlang, be it Deborah Marak, be it Pynshngain N Syiem at one point of time we won and we lost the election but we never give up hope, we will work hard,” he said.

“I also promised you that the moment I lost the election, I didn’t sleep (anymore),” Pala said while informing that he has taken few of his people and get them trained in Delhi and that he has also decided to organize a 3-month online programme for youth, who are interested in public speaking and management. 

Stating that Saleng’s victory in Garo Hills has changed the dynamics of politics in Meghalaya, Pala said, “I remember when I first took over as the president almost a year we faced a lot of challenges. People said that Congress is a sinking ship and that it cannot be revived back…Hundreds of my friends in the Youth Congress in MPCC left the Congress and joined the greener side of politics but today with Saleng’s success from Garo Hills, the dynamics of politics in Meghalaya has changed.”

“What was five years before, what was five months before, today is a different scenario of politics in Meghalaya. Our Congress workers have hope and Congress workers are ready to work hard with a bigger energy and with stronger dedication and I am very confident in the coming elections, we will work unitedly. Let gone is bygone and at the same time let it be history, there is no success without failure and it should be a lesson to all of us,” he said.

He said that four months before the election, they were begging people to join the Congress but those people laughed at us but today the same people are begging to come back to us. The reason being many people and parties are fighting elections for their own interest “the interest to do business, interest to serve for particular religious, interest to serve for particular community, interest for there areas and for their constituencies.”

“Whereas, Congress is not only for the interest of the people but an ideology which has made us to be proud, protection of minorities, protection of all kinds of faith and religions, protection of all sections of people as per the constitution and that has brought back the Congress and Congress shall always remain. You can abuse or accuse any leader but Congress will remain,” Pala added. 

The Congress chief further slammed the BJP and its allies – the National People’s Party (NPP) and United Democratic Party (UDP) for targetting the Congress and said it is high time for Saleng to repay what they have done to the party in Garo Hills. 

“Our leaders are being purchased, our district presidents have been purchased, many of our leaders have been lured and promised a different posts, MLAs are taken away so definitely the target by the BJP and its friends NPP, UDP only to the Congress.They targeted us but today with Saleng’s winning I think they forgot themselves and today I think it is high time for Saleng to repay what they have done to us in Garo Hills,” he said.

“…we should learn from Garo Hills. Out of 24 seats, we lost every seat except Saleng’s constituency (Gambegre) and we thought that we will never come back in Garo Hills but Saleng alone he could manage to take all the youth of Garo Hills,” Pala said while adding “I am proud to tell you today in Garo Hills, we have got the youth, who are from IITs, doctors, engineers, IIM and some of them even pilots – today we all used their brains and working together and we could not only win the election but we managed to surprise the people of Garo Hills and Meghalaya also to change the dynamics of politics in Meghalaya because dedicated team and hardwork.”