Congress feigns ignorance

AICC leader 'uware' about possible exit of ex-Deputy CM from party

From Staff Correspondent

Shillong, Aug 31: With the 2018 Assembly polls approaching fast, the political equations are changing at a rapid pace in Meghalaya, with a lot of realignments taking place within the parties.

A day after Congress’ Shillong Lok Sabha MP Vicent Pala admitted of the party’s declining popularity and cited desertions by members, speculations are once again rife about the possible exit of its six-time MLA and former Deputy Chief Minister Rowel Lyngdoh from the party.

The Congress is, however, feigning ignorance about the development. And the party’s pretension of not knowing has been well articulated by All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in charge of Meghalaya CP Joshi who told The Sentinel on Thursday that no such information has reached his ears.

“The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) should be able to make a comment on such developments and I am not aware of it,” he said when contacted over phone on Thursday to seek his observation.

While a source said the Congress is aware of the ongoing developments related with the likely desertion of the former Deputy Chief Minister from the party, senior Congress functiories, including the MPCC leaders, did not pick up their mobile phones when contacted to get further clarification on the matter.

Two Independent legislators, who had earlier joined the Congress as associated members, have since joined the BJP last week. On this, Joshi said, “Such shifting of allegiances does happen before elections”.

However, it is this likely high profile desertion exclusively reported by The Sentinel that further exposes the state of affairs within the Congress.

On the other hand, the tiol People’s Party (NPP) is all set to formally welcome the six-time Congress legislator to its fold. 

An NPP leader told this correspondent, “Lyngdoh is a man with an impeccable record and he can be our candidate without an iota of doubt.”

The former Deputy Chief Minister fell out with Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and MPPC chief DD Lapang in 2015, a reason that prompted him to raise inconvenient questions within the party.

Although, he does not wield a clout in the rest of the State, Lyngdoh’s formal exit will have a deep repercussion on the Congress in South West Khasi Hills district.