Congress puts up brave face despite defeat

SHILLONG, Aug 28: The Congress with its ‘battered and bruised’ inflicted by the defeat in the just concluded twin bypolls in Ranikor and South Tura constituencies maintained that the outcome is on expected lines. A top functionary and a legislator of the State Congress Ampareen Lyndoh party said, “Through our assessment, we knew that we will not make it in the two seats but we will never consider ourselves as the vanquished.” Outwitted in South Tura constituency and demolished in Ranikor constituency, the Congress still feels that the mission is done. The Congress candidate from Ranikor forfeited his secuirity deposit and the its candidate from South Tura was convincingly defeated by a record margin in the state.

The Sentinel spoke to the former cabinet minister and three time MLA to gauge her assessment. She said, “There is no word as battered and bruised because it came out on expected lines. We are not going to review the outcome of the polls except in going up further in the electoral battles”, stated the senior party legislator who is not in the media cell. The two spokespersons of Congress could not be reached for their comments on the election debacle.

When the views of Amapareen Lyngdoh views was solicited, she admitted that Congress party could not change the popular votes of electing Conrad K Sangma as the MLA ,since he is the face as the Chief Minister of the state. Conrad has to win the South Tura seat to continue as the Chief Minister of the state under the present coalition government known as the Meghalya Democratic alliance (MDA).

Apart from Ampareen Lyngdoh, another senior functionary of the Congress conceded that the party was on a demolition drive against Martin M Danngo who resigned after being elected on a Congress ticket. Mukul Sangma himself was camping in Ranikor for days prior to the elections to derail him and he threw all the available weights to ensure his defeat. Danggo after being elected as a four time congress legislator resigned just in three months and contested on a NPP ticket. Observers say that he dug his own grave, but his close aide Kitborlang Nongrem rubbish the notion. He said that it is outrageous to use the term because of his choice of a political party and relentless services provided.