Cong confident of retaining Ampati seat

A Reporter

SHILLONG, May 26: The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Dr Celestine Lyngdoh on Saturday has expressed confidence that the party will retain the Ampati seat after the by-election scheduled to be held on May 28.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference held at Congress Bhavan in the city, Lyngdoh said, “Our candidate will win with a thumping victory in the ensuing by-election,”

Stating that Ampati has been the bastion of the CLP leader, Dr Mukul Sangma for the last many years, he said that the development work and changes brought to Ampati is ‘enormous’ and that the people will not decide against what the party expect.

When asked whether the victory will help the Congress emerge as the single largest party and whether there will be a change of guard in the State, he said “Definitely, the party will become the single largest if it wins. But the party will need the support of other partners to cross the magic number.”

He added, “If we get like-minded partners then, naturally, change will be there but we will have to wait only after the result is announced.”

Asked if the present Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma will collapse after Ampati by-election, he said that anything can happen after election.