Conrad takes on Mukul over public welfare schemes

SHILLONG, Feb 17: tiol president of tiol People’s Party (NPP) Conrad K Sangma on Saturday came down heavily on Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.

“He (Mukul) has not worked in the interest of the State but has furthered the interest of his close aide and only the Congress workers and supporters”, Conrad said at an election rally at Dopa Apal under Resubelpara constituency. 

He was campaigning for NPP candidate Timothy D. Shira in several areas of the constituency on Saturday. 

Alleging that under Mukul’s regime the distribution of MLAs schemes was “party-centric”, Conrad said the role of a legislator is to work for the interest of entire people of the constituency. 

“It is the responsibility of an elected leader to work equally for all but it is shameful that most Congress leaders have only worked at close tandem with some vested leaders of the party depriving the people of the constituency they represent at large”, he said. 

Explaining to the people that “irresponsible leaders” of the society should be taught a lesson, he requested the public to vote for a party and its leaders, who would work for the interest of the entire constituency. “As leaders, we should not be selective. We have to become their voice and their true representatives while initiating welfare and development,” he added. He also said that Mukul and other Congress leaders had an agenda when they distributed blankets ahead of election. 

“In eight years, Mukul and his comrades realised that winter comes only during election and decided to distribute blanket. If the blankets were good, I could have acknowledged them for their effort but surprisingly the blankets which were distributed were of poor and cheap quality,” he said. 

Further accusing Mukul, Conrad said, “He (Mukul) thinks he is a great strategist and he knows the magic to win elections but enough is enough, people have realised his misdeeds. Those selected people who were given blankets have come out to express their dissatisfaction and have vowed that this time Congress will be taught a lesson”. 

Citing the example of Songsak constituency, where Mukul is contesting apart from Ampati — his home turf — Conrad said, “People in Songsak were very happy with the blankets distributed by Mukul but soon they realised that it was of poor quality. However, they are still happy because they got a rope to tie pigs and cattle. They tell me that the blanket after washing has become a good rope”. 

“Misdeeds and wrong intention cannot be hidden for too long!” he added.