Pala stands by his statement, backs Syiem

FROM OUR STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, Feb 2: Three days after making a statement, two-time MP from Shillong, Vincent H Pala today told The Sentinel that he stand firm with his statement that sitting MLA from Mawsynram and Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), Pynshngain N Syiem is a victim of the political situation of the state.

Reiterating his earlier statement that eulogized P.N Syiem for standing up against the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on the Prevention of Disqualification (members of the Legislative Assembly of Meghalya) (Amendment) Act, 2015, Pala said the words of encouragement on a courageous Pynshngain Syiem in his constituency cannot be dubbed as a rebellion against the party, even as he added that an encouragement to a friend has nothing to do with the party.

“Pynshngain stands out as a courageous man because he is the only one of the eight MLAs who has not relinquished the MDC post,” asserted Pala.

“We cannot deny that Pynshngain N Syiem has been directly or indirectly victimized and I stand by what I said”, the MP stated.

When asked how the present CEM has been victimized, Pala emphatically said, “The law has been changed by the people in power to corner him (Syiem)”.

He, however, made it clear that by saying ‘people in power’ he did not mean Chief Minister Sangma.