By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: While infighting among top Congress leaders in the State is rife, the decision of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) to hold elections in the different Block Congress Committees (BCCs) has drawn flak from various party leaders since it is creating a rift among the party workers at the grass roots level.
“We know there is a problem among the top party leaders especially among the party legislators ever since the demand for removal of Dr Mukul Sangma as the CLP leader. This crisis among the party legislators is still an area of concern even though there is an attempt by senior Congress leaders to downplay the problem,” a senior Congress leader on condition of anonymity said while speaking to The Shillong Times on Sunday.
They also feel that the decision of the MPCC to hold elections for finalising the list of candidates who will contest from the party in the upcoming 2013 Assembly election has further deepened the crisis within the party.
“The decision to conduct elections at the Block level to finalise the candidates has created a division among the party workers at the grass root level at Shella, Mawryngkneng and Nongkrem constituencies,” the senior Congress leader said.
Sources in the Congress have further alleged that the East Khasi Hills District Congress Committee (EKDCC) has not been able to conduct the elections in all three constituencies smoothly since there are allegations that the election process was manipulated.
“Holding of elections in different units has not only brought division among the ticket aspirants but it has also created differences among the party workers of the different Block Congress Committees,” they said.
Even after the announcement that the Shella Block Congress Committee has officially nominated Leston Wanswett as party candidate to contest from Shella constituency, the senior Congress leader said that the other two tickets aspirants — Jropsing Nongkhlaw and Pythymmaibor Chyne — feel that the jury is still out as to who would finally be nominated as the party candidate.
“Going by the body language of both Nongkhlaw and Chyne, it is obvious that whether or not they get the party ticket they would be contesting the upcoming elections. If both of them contest it is the Congress candidate who is going to suffer since the rival candidates will cut into the vote bank of the Congress,” they observed.
Even in Nongkrem constituency, there is now a division among the party workers since they are either supporting former MDP legislator from Nartiang constituency Draison Kharshiing or sitting Congress MDC Lambor Malngiang, they said.
“We have already seen seven out of the total 19 units of the Nongkrem Block Congress Committee (NBCC) demanding for a re-poll as they believe there is manipulation in the election process for finalising of the party candidates to contest the upcoming election.
Following the series of allegations the matter has to be referred to EKDCC to take the final call,” senior Congress leaders said.
They also said that it is matter of serious concern to see reports in the media that some Congress leaders are manipulating the election in the NBCC since they are in favour of Kharshiing to contest from the party in the upcoming election from Nongkrem constituency.
Even in Mawryngkneng constituency although Assembly Speaker’s Charles Pyngrope’s son David H Nongrum emerged as the official nominee of the Mawryngkneng Block Congress Committee (MBCC) after the election, they feel that the absence of the other ticket aspirants AICC member Jopsimon Nongdhar and the Sohryngkham Congress MDC Marbok Kharpran on the day when the votes were counted gives a clear indication that something is amiss.
Stating that the problem was not restricted only to these three constituencies, senior Congress leaders that the election of the Pynursla Block Congress Committee to finalise the candidate from Pynursla had to be called off after the party workers in one of the units disturbed the electoral process.
Congress sources further observed that the EKHDCC would be facing an uphill task to conduct the election of the PBCC especially after failing in its first attempt.
It may be mentioned that the ticket aspirants for the newly created Pynursla constituency – include Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong who is the president of EKHDCC and former Nongshken legislator KK Dkhar.
“Actually, the process followed in the past was far better since the Block Congress Committee recommends the names to the MPCC. The members of the BCC would gracefully accept the candidate finalised by the AICC following the recommendations of the MPCC,” senior Congress leaders said.
While appealing to the MPCC to review its decision of holding the election in the Blocks to finalise the candidates since it is creating a division in the party, they said that the system which was followed in the past should be restored.