Some Garo MLAs not averse to merging with NPP
SHILLONG: Dissident Congress leaders in Meghalaya may take the ‘extreme step’ of going the Arunachal way by forming an alternate government if the AICC continues to remain adamant to their demands.
It was after the leadership issue was allowed to linger for more than a year that the Congress suffered a jolt in Arunachal Pradesh with a dissident Congress leader forming a government there.
At least two Congress dissidents in Meghalaya have admitted that if the AICC does not take any initiative to change Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, the rebels will be compelled to follow the example of Arunachal Pradesh where dissident Congress member Kalikho Pul – while remaining as the new CLP leader – formed an alternate government and later merged his group with the regional outfit People’s Party of Arunachal after formally breaking away from the Congress.
A dissident Congress legislator said on Sunday that some party legislators from Garo Hills are contemplating a merger with the NPP as an extreme step.
“Even if the new AICC general secretary in charge of Meghalaya C.P. Joshi comes to Shillong and discusses the leadership issue, we do not have much faith in the exercise as earlier, AICC leader V. Narayanasamy indulged in the same exercise, but in vain,” said another dissident Congress legislator.
According to the legislator, the AICC should understand the sentiments of the majority of Congress legislators and the people of the State that the time is not favourable for Chief Minister Mukul Sangma to cling on to his chair at the cost of the party especially in view of the fact that the 2018 Assembly polls are not far away.
Earlier, following the issues related to empowerment of headmen and the dual post, KHADC CEM P.N. Syiem had raised the banner of revolt and even apprised Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi after visiting them in Delhi on the lack of consultations on the part of the chief minister in framing the dual post Bill and handling issues related to the headmen and the KHADC.
Following this, the then AICC general secretary in charge Meghalaya, V. Narayanasamy, made several rounds of visits to Shillong and held meetings with the MLAs but it did not result in any favourable outcome.
The majority of dissidents, hence, are pessimistic as to whether the AICC will take any favourable steps to address their concerns.
Though the chief minister had convinced the high command, through a letter, that stability in the CLP was restored, the reality is different, the dissidents feel.
“It is true that we do not have the required numbers now as many have gone back to the chief minister, but even some ministers in the cabinet are not happy with the style of functioning of the chief minister as far as taking decisions on matters of public importance are concerned,” a legislator said.
He also pointed out that even if the chief minister effects a cabinet reshuffle or adjusts the portfolios, this is not going to address the core issue of demand for change of leadership.
According to the legislator, besides the parliamentary secretaries and those who hold posts of chairman of various bodies, the officers are also unhappy over the functioning of the chief minister due to his attitude and lack of punctuality.
The Arunachal political crisis saw protracted tussle for power for almost a year between former Congress Chief Minister Nabam Tuki and dissident leader Kalikho Pul who claimed majority leading to the imposition of President’s rule on January 26 this year.
Like in Meghalaya, the rebel Congress leaders were annoyed over the ‘dictatorial and autocratic style’ of functioning of Tuki. Another worry was the financial crunch in that state.
These same reasons are citied by the Congress rebels in Meghalaya against Chief Minister Mukul Sangma demanding a change of leadership.
Initially, as many as 21 Congress legislators out of the total 47 in the House of 60 supported the rebel group in Arunachal and their strength swelled later.
After the political drama wherein the Governor played a crucial role ended with the court cases, President’s Rule, change of Assembly speakers, and appointment of two Congress chief whips, one supporting the Pul group and another Tuki, Pul finally proved his majority in the House on February 19 remaining as CLP leader after the withdrawal of President’s Rule on February 17.
Later, Pul along with 29 members broke away from Congress and merged with the regional People’s Party of Arunachal.
While Pul has the outside support of 11 BJP MLAs and two Independent members; with no legislator from the saffron party in Meghalaya, BJP is not interested to topple the Congress government in Meghalaya unlike Arunachal Pradesh.
In a panic reaction, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma had written to the high command that the BJP with the support of dissidents was trying to topple his government. The BJP, however, had made it clear that the Congress government in Meghalaya will collapse on its own due to its internal contradictions.