By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: To prevent the UDP from roping in former Home Minister RG Lyngdoh to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the Congress has decided to bring back Lyngdoh to its fold and is aiming to field him in the general elections scheduled next year.
Lyngdoh was expelled from the Congress in 2008 for six years for criticizing the role of some AICC leaders in bringing instability in the State.
The Laitumkhrah Block Congress Committee is planning to meet Lyngdoh on May 11 to persuade him to come back to the Congress.
Confirming this, Urban Affairs Minister and sister of RG Lyngdoh, Ampareen Lyngdoh, told reporters on Friday that there is pressure on her brother to contest the Lok Sabha polls from other parties.
“We will meet him on May 11 to discuss the need on his part to come back to the party as he is a very capable person,” said Ampareen, who is also the president of the Laitumkhrah Block Congress Committee.
According to Ampareen, both Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma and MPCC president DD Lapang are keen to bring back Lyngdoh to the party fold and she had discussed the matter with them in the past.
Asked whether RG Lyngdoh will be fielded in the coming Lok Sabha polls, Ampareen said, “It is upto the block congress committee which can recommend his name.”
There is widespread criticism from Congress circles on the negative role played by the current Lok Sabha MP from Shillong, Vincent Pala, in the just concluded Assembly elections.
Sources said that with the AICC looking for an alternate candidate to contest the next Lok Sabha polls, RG Lyngdoh has emerged as the favourite to represent the Shillong seat.