2013 polls: AICC pinning hopes on seniority of Lapang, youthfulness of Chief Minister
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The AICC is banking on the ‘seniority’ of DD Lapang and ‘youthfulness’ of Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma to take the party to victory in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Meghalaya is scheduled to go for Assembly polls in February-March next year.
Addressing a party meeting at Congress Bhavan here on Monday, Union Power Minister and senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily said. “Seniority of Lapang and youthfulness of Dr Sangma will lead the party to victory”.
Moily also showered praise on Dr Sangma stating that under his dynamic leadership, several programmes were being implemented in the State.
Moily assured the Chief Minister during the party function held at Congress Bhavan and also at the official function at NEEPCO that he was ready to sanction more power projects to the state as the Chief Minister was keen to implement the same.
“Whatever you ask, it is done. You deserve more”, Moily added.
In the party meeting, Moily also mentioned his long association with Lapang.
The AICC General Secretary in-charge Meghalaya Dr Dhaniram Shandil said that as far as infrastructure development was concerned, the Mukul Sangma-led Government has done a good job.
According to Dr Shandil, the State Government has earnestly implemented the flagship programmes of the Central government.
The appreciation of the Central leaders has given fillip to the Chief Minister, who wishes to continue in the chair after the 2013 elections.
Lapang is also the potential candidate for the post of Chief Minister and the AICC has not projected any one as the Chief Ministerial candidate in the run up to the Assembly elections in Meghalaya.
Earlier, speaking at the Congress Bhavan, the Chief Minister said that with the support of the Centre, the state government could create an impact in all spheres.
The Chief Minister said after he took up the issue of having a separate High Court for Meghalaya, it was sanctioned by the Centre when Moily was the Law Minister.
Highlighting the important development projects, Dr Sangma said a major road project from Shillong to Tura had been sanctioned and to bring further development he had already laid the foundation stone for the first railway station in the State at Mendipathar in East Garo Hills.
Lapang said, “With the Assembly elections round the corner, the visit of Moily assumes significance as this will boost the morale of the Congress workers.”
BJP bashing dominates Cong meet
BJP bashing dominated the party function held at Congress Bhavan.
Moily said the BJP does not believe in co-existence unlike the Congress in the context of the constant disruption of Parliament by the Opposition.
“The BJP believes in narrow factionalism and the party MPs don’t want harmony. The BJP wants to pull the country down, but the Congress wants to build it”, Moily said.
According to Moily, what is important for the Congress is development of the country and not divisive politics.
Dr Shandil said that the BJP is often disrupting the Parliament proceedings thereby wasting time.
Instead of disrupting the Parliament on the issue of coal allocation, they should have discussed other important issues concerning the country, Dr Shandil said.
The BJP is raising the issue only to cover up its own misdeeds as there was no transparent system during the NDA regime, Dr Shandil added.