Support to Pala: Lapang admits to differences
SHILLONG: The State Congress has finally admitted to the differences and overlapping among the party leaders over their support to Congress MP from Shillong Parliamentary seat Vincent H Pala prior to the Lok Sabha elections.
Following a review of the Congress performance in the two Lok Sabha seats in the State on Monday, MPCC chief DD Lapang admitted to the ‘differences’ even though he refused to divulge details on the matter. “We would not be able to discuss the internal matters in public. All those internal matters and family affairs will be sorted out by the party,” Lapang told newsmen after an MPCC meeting on Monday.
Lapang also remained silent on the question of whether action would be taken against those MLAs and leaders who campaigned against Pala.
Asked for his reaction on the comments by Congress legislator from Jaintia Hills, Coming One Ymbom, that Pala had won the election on his own since the party had not backed him, Lapang said, “It is good if Pala has managed to win this election on his own. This shows the quality of the person. I think we should field Pala as the candidate even in the next election for being a capable leader who receives the love of the people.”
Lapang also clarified that it would be inappropriate to say that all the Congress leaders were against Pala.
On Purno Sangma’s emergence as the undisputed leader of Garo Hills following his win in the Tura seat, Lapang said, “He (Purno) was elected because of his past experience and capability.”
On Congress nominee Daryl Momin’s good performance, Lapang said, “Momin’s performance only goes to show that the people are looking for younger generations to lead them.”
Lapang also downplayed the speculations that the fight in Tura was actually between Purno A Sangma and Mukul Sangma, saying that the MPCC believed otherwise.
The MPCC chief also sought to rest the issue of Zenith Sangma’s candidature from Tura, saying that those who believed that Zenith had a better chance were interested only in astrology and predictions.
“We believe in the decision of the party high command to allot the ticket to Daryl,” Lapang said.
Meanwhile, Lapang said that the Congress party has accepted the mandate given by the people of this country gracefully and with humility.
“At the level of the MPCC, we have accepted the challenge to revamp and reorganize the party. We would like to rectify the various loopholes,” he said adding that they have also decided to pass a resolution which would be communicated to the AICC.
“Whatever the case may be, in the midst of this crisis, we would like to request the AICC president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi to continue lead the party and to make the AICC more effective,” Lapang said.
He also expresses confidence that the Congress party was capable of bouncing back in a big way like it had done in the past.