Congress stalwarts give different versions

WRANGLING WITHIN

From Staff Correspondent

Shillong, Sept 20: Two senior-most sitting MLAs of the Congress party – Salseng C Marak and Rowell Lyngdoh – gave their own versions of the current state of affairs in the party. The duo happens to be also members of the Public Accounts Committee that held its meeting on Wednesday.

The views of the two Congress stalwarts were solicited at a time when five sitting Congress MLAs had reportedly decided to abandon the party.

Lyngdoh is one of those five legislators who have taken the lead in criticising the State party leadership. Asked on his future course, Lyngdoh said, “I have not collected the application form from the party because I have decided to take a different position. But I am a Congressman till the completion of the term,” even as he hinted that he might reconsider his decision to fight again from the constituency that has elected him for five terms.  On the other hand, former Chief Minister and Congress stalwart Salseng C Marak said the party MLAs who wanted to leave may have their own logic.

“At the moment we don’t really know. We still consider these MLAs as our very own. As per indications, it is true that some of them do not want to contest from the party anymore. But it also depends on the individuals. If they have certain reason to leave the party, then it’s up to them,” Marak said.  While expressing his hopes that the MLAs who are planning to leave will remain with the party, the former Chief Minister said, “As of today, we cannot entirely say that the Congress MLAs would filly leave the party since there is still time for the election.” Asked on the party’s prospects, particularly with the BJP, NPP and the UDP-HSPDP vowing to defeat the Congress at any cost, the former Chief Minister said, “It will be difficult to predict anything at the moment.”