TMC demands investigation into allegation against NPP for using illegal money to poach MLAs

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 23, 2024

The opposition All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) has demanded investigation into the Congress’ allegation that the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) is using illegal money to poach MLAs of other political parties.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, TMC leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma said the Congress president Vincent H Pala has been very blunt in saying that the party in the current ruling dispensation have engaged in poaching through inducement by using “illegal” money.

“Therefore, as these allegations have come, the government and the leadership must come clean on this and I urge an investigation on the matter,” he said.

“There are three allegations. One is on illegal money allegedly coming from drugs, another one is alleged money coming from illegal mining and another one manipulation of contract works. So if these three allegations have come there is a need for the house to discuss it,” Mukul added.

Asked, the former chief minister said that the party would be looking at the available space to raise the particular issue in the floor of the House.

“The only chance is through an adjournment motion and under the no confidence motion against the government. So we will have to examine all these available spaces but given the kind of situation in the august house we will have to know how to deal with the situation. So in a way the whole drama that unfolded into this recent development indirectly has resultant impact on the balance of the whole ecosystem in a healthy democratic practice. So your opposition numbers have shrunken and that is not a good indication for the vibrancy and sustainability of democracy,” he stated.

Urging the people to demand the ruling party to come clean on the allegation, Mukul said, “Therefore, the people have to ask them are you really engaging in these illegalities, something which is of a very great concern for the state and the people. If there are reasons to believe that illegal money is being used and where is this illegal money coming from and the illegal money from what? So that means the people have to ask questions and the government has to come clean on this, they cannot just keep quiet, they cannot just shy away. It is a very serious allegation because if the allegations are true then you can understand what kind of future we are going to see and unfold in the coming years.”

“And I also have reasons to believe based on whatever inputs I am getting. You go to the police bazaar in the evening, I am told I am asked to go and see. Go anywhere in different parts of Shillong, you will see what kind of illegalities are happening and it is happening right in this capital city. Is it something which can happen with such impunity unless there is some patronage,” he added further.

Recently, Pala had made the serious allegation following the merging of three Congress MLAs with the NPP.