Former Congress legislator to decide on joining fray today
NONGSTOIN: Former Congress legislator Adviser Pariong, who was denied Congress ticket, will decide on Monday on whether to join the fray or support the Independent candidate Fenela Lyngdoh even as he criticized the Congress leadership in the state and the Centre for ignoring the decision of the Block Congress Committee.
Pariong and his supporters have expressed shock over the joint decision of MPCC and AICC to allot party ticket to congress MDC Gabriel Wahlang. Pariong claimed that following the denial of party ticket, majority of the Congressmen from Nongstoin have shifted their allegiance to Fenela.
After Cabinet Minister HDR Lyngdoh on Saturday evening formally declared Gabriel Wahlang as the Congress candidate, a meeting was convened by Pariong’s supporters at Rikhasi Free Morning School, Nongstoin. The meeting unanimously decided to back Pariong to contest as an Independent candidate.
However, Pariong was not in a mood to join the fray as he thought that it was too late for him to contest from Nongstoin.
Addressing his supporters, Pariong said that the decision of the MPCC and AICC to deny him ticket cannot be accepted by the Congressmen in Nongstoin.
According to Pariong, Gabriel was chosen as the Congress candidate only by MPCC and the AICC and not by the people of Nongstoin.
Pariong said that out of the three aspirants only his name was recommended by the Nongstoin Block Congress Committee (NBCC), but he was surprised to find out that the party ticket was allotted to Wahlang. “Both MPCC and AICC violated the procedures put in place by them,” Pariong said.
During the meeting, Pariong’s supporters discussed as to which party they would join.
However, after Pariong expressed his desire to support Fenela, the supporters insisted that they wanted him to join the fray as an Independent candidate. Pariong, however, argued that it was too late for him to join the fray but in vain as they insisted that he should contest.
When contacted, Albinus Kharbani, president Nongstoin Block Congress Committee said that the meeting convened by Pariong, who claims to be a Congressman, will create division within the party.
Kharbani, however, asserted that the Congress was united to ensure the win of the party candidate.
The NBCC president had called a meeting on Saturday at Congress Bhavan Nongstoin and welcomed Gabriel Wahlang.