UPF terms Congress’ offer to form new govt as ‘wrong move’

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaDecember 20, 2019

SHILLONG: The United Progressive Front (UPF) has termed the “offer” made by the opposition Congress to form a new government in the state as a wrong move.

The UPF formed by the People’s Democratic Front (PDF), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Independent MLA, is supporting the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government led by the National People’s Party (NPP).

Chairman of the state planning board and UPF member, Lambor Malngiang told reporters on Friday that the UPF had outrightly rejected the Congress’ offer to form an alternate government.

Terming the offer as a wrong move, the Nongkrem Independent MLA said, “The Congress had approached us but we denied and told them (Congress) that this is time that we should work for the interest of the people.”

“Why do we have to bring down the (present) government when it is trying its best to perform and safeguard the interest of the indigenous people,” he added.

Malngiang also said that the decision of the Congress to table a No-confidence motion against the MDA government during the special Assembly session was also a wrong move.

The Assembly on Thursday had unanimously passed a resolution to implement Inner Line Permit in the state following massive protests against the passage of the amended Citizenship Act, which seeks to provide citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“Had the government collapsed yesterday then who will pass the resolution in the House? Don’t you think that Meghalaya will burn more? That is why we have rejected and say no to the offer of the Congress to form an alternate government,” Malngiang said.

He said that the Speaker had also made a wise decision by rejecting the NC in the House. “Yes, the opposition have every right to bring the NC but not at this juncture when the state is boiling,” he stated.

Hailing the passing of the ILP resolution, the chairman of the state planning board said this is the first time in the history of the state that the state government is in line with the demand of the different organizations and the people of the state.

“Yes this is the first of its kind as in the past the then governments had rejected this long pending demand of the people,” he said.

Asked, Malngiang also rubbished the allegations that the ruling NPP had betrayed the coalition partners by making a big U-turn after its lone MP from Tura Agatha K Sangma extended support for the passage of the then Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in the Parliament.

He said it seems that the leader of opposition Mukul Sangma had not gone through the whole speech of Agatha in the floor of the House when she had mentioned clearly that she urge the Centre to exempt Meghalaya and the entire North East region from the purview of the amended Act.

Expressing full faith in the leadership of chief minister Conrad K Sangma, the Nongkrem legislator said, “How can you say that the NPP has betrayed us when we (MDA) together with the CM had visited New Delhi as a team and because of this 97 per cent of the state was exempted from CAA. This is also part of victory but still we are not happy and decided to continue with our demand for total exemption from the Act.” According to him, the MDA also fully endorsed the demand for repealing the CAA.