By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: CLP leader and Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma on Thursday termed the emphatic victory of the Congress as a clear mandate of the people.
Addressing a hurriedly convened press conference here in Shillong on Thursday after arriving from Ampati, Dr Sangma said, “It is a clear message that people have realized the development and uplift extended to the State by the Congress.
Pointing out that the Congress was expecting half of the seats Dr Sangma said that the visit of AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi and senior Congress leaders did wonders for the Congress in the State.
“Congress got special attention of the youths with the coming of Rahul Gandhi in the State,” Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president DD Lapang said.
Reacting to a query that some of the Congress candidates had lost the elections while competing with Independent candidates who were earlier denied Congress ticket, the MPCC president said, “Congress is a big party with lot of contenders and lapses are bound to occur.”
When asked for a comment on the NPP, floated by his arch rival Purno A Sangma, which managed to secure only two seats, the Chief Minister said,
“Our approach was well perceived by the people and people in Garo Hills have suffered a lot in the past due to fractured mandate.”
When asked about Congress’ coalition partner in the next Government, Lapang said that stability should be met and it’s the first criteria of the party. He, however, added that senior AICC leaders were on their way to Shillong to chalk out the strategies to from the next Government.
Our Correspondent from Tura adds: Earlier in the day, speaking to a group of newspersons in Ampati after declaration of the result, Dr Sangma said that the party is engaged in discussions on whether the party requires the support of Independent candidates or regional parties to form the next government in the State.
“We are engaging in discussions and what is perceived best for the people of the State will be decided upon.”
Reacting to earlier claims of the NPP that the Congress party would be wiped out of Garo Hills in the election, he said, “They were talking of wiping out the Congress but it has happened otherwise.”
Dr Sangma claimed that the party missed an opportunity to create history in Meghalaya by forming a single party Government. Maintaining that the Congress could have done better, he said that the party was expecting to win 34-35 seats.
“We respect the mandate of the people and our focus will be on the sole agenda of development,” he added.
According to Dr Sangma, the party needs to re-assess its deficiencies, even as he admitted that there was too much of complacency and over confidence in some areas.
When asked about his wife Dikkanchi D Shira who had won the election from Mahendraganj on her debut in the State politics, he said that she had worked very hard to achieve the feat, adding that the youths and Mahila Congress workers had worked very hard for her.