Tura: In an attempt at containing the damage to the party arising out of the dramatic resignation of veteran Congress politician and former minister, Frankenstein W Momin, who blamed Chief Minister Mukul Sangma for his alleged dictatorial attitude, the ruling Congress party has joined ranks in support of their chief going as far as to castigate and accuse the rebel leader of sipping with the enemy.
Kharkutta MLA Cherak Momin, who also happens to be the district congress committee chief of North Garo Hills, has dismissed the allegations leveled against Mukul Sangma by former Mendipathar legislator and minister Frankenstein W Momin.
“Frankenstein Momin had engaged in anti-party activities since last year’s GHADC elections during which he had vigorously campaigned against the official party candidate of the Congress and also went on to support the opposition NPP candidate.
Because of his anti-party activities the District Congress Committee has already brought it to the notice of the disciplinary action committee for necessary action against him,” informed Cherak Momin in an official statement.
He added that he was yet to receive any official communication in regards to the resignation claims of the other party members alongside Momin. He also dismissed the allegations against the chief minister claiming that the party always gave a patient hearing to party workers and members for an amicable solution.
“It is unfortunate that Frankenstein Momin is venting his frustration on Mukul Sangma’s leadership. The party has only grown stronger,” claimed the first time MLA from Kharkutta who has been rewarded with a parliamentary secretary post by Mukul Sangma.
Frankenstein Momin, a senior Congress leader, had represented Mendipathar constituency several terms and was regarded a heavyweight of the party. He had served as the State Education minister and was once regarded as one of the top three leaders from Garo Hills besides Salseng C Marak and Chamberlain Marak.
Incidentally, Chamberlain Marak had also left the Congress party over the leadership issue and went on to join Late Purno Sangma’s party.
Frankenstein had opposed the candidature of Mendipathar MLA Marthon Sangma’s wife for the Congress ticket to contest from Damas constituency during last year’s GHADC elections on the grounds that her husband was an NCP MLA.
Despite the Congress endorsing the Mendipathar MLA’s spouse as party candidate, she lost the polls to the NPP’s Dolly K Sangma by a huge margin of several thousand votes.
Deborah to undertake tour to assess ground reality
A day after Frankenstein W Momin and eight others quit the Congress the party working president and Cabinet minister Deborah Marak said the she would tour various district headquarters of the party to assess the ground reality.
When contacted on Sunday, Deborah said she had arrived from Delhi only on Friday and was yet to understand the ground situation.
The MPCC working president said she is also not aware whether their resignation letters were sent to the PCC president.
“However, I have a plan to visit every headquarters of the district Congress committee, if possible next week, and during the visit, I can also meet FW Momin to understand the situation,” Deborah said.
Along with Momin, the general secretary of the district Congress committee Sengnab Momin also quit the post citing lack of collective approach on the part of the Congress leadership in the State including the chief minister to deal with various issues.
According to Frankenstein Momin, though he has been in State politics since 1976, he was never consulted by the party while taking decisions on matters related to the State as well as North Garo Hills.
Frankenstein also said that the chief minister can never become the undisputed leader of Garo Hills as he does not care about the opinion of the grass root workers.
Sengnab pointed out that the grass root level decisions are never accepted at the higher level.
Without naming the chief minister, he said the party appears to be a one-man show as the grass root party workers and members are not able to take decisions by themselves since the decisions are always imposed on them undemocratically.
