By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Former UDP leader John F Kharshiing is all set to join the Congress party.
Kharshiing who had resigned from the UDP on August 10 last would be formally inducted into the Congress in the presence of Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma and MPCC president DD Lapang during a special function to be held at the Congress Bhavan on Friday.
When contacted, Kharshiing claimed his decision to join the Congress is to gain greater support for the cause of the traditional institutions in the State.
“Being in the Congress I would be able to gain the necessary support for the purpose of bringing in the constitutional amendment,” he said.
Earlier this year, the former UDP leader had led a 20-member delegation of the Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya to meet Union Tribal Affairs Minister V Kishore Chandra Deo and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi demanding constitutional recognition of the traditional institutions within the spirit of the Instrument of Accession signed between the Federation of 25 Khasi states and the Indian Government 65 years ago.
When asked if he would contest the upcoming Assembly election, Kharshiing said that there is no question of contesting the upcoming election since he had not applied for the party ticket.
Earlier, in his resignation letter addressed to UDP president Dr Donkupar Roy, Kharshiing had said, “In the interest of the core political cause of the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo people, I have decided to resign as member of the UDP with immediate effect from August 10, 2012.”