Mukul asserts regional parties cannot form govt in M’laya

NEW DELHI: Despite losing recent elections and legislators deserting the party, Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Saturday asserted that regional parties can never form a government in Meghalaya and that the Congress would retain power in the Hill State.
“For the first time the Congress (in Meghalaya) was in power without an alliance or support from any regional party,” Sangma said at a press conference at the AICC headquarters here on Saturday.
“It was a historic victory for the Congress when it came back to power on its own four years ago,” he added.
The Chief Minister was confident that the party’s development work would earn it the support of the electorate.
Downplaying reports of some legislators joining the BJP, Sangma said, “You should analyse why some prominent Congress leaders like Himanta Biswa Sarma left the party and joined BJP and you will get your answer.”
“We have won and lost in the past but to win we do not indulge in foul play,” Sangma said and added that while the Congress is trying to develop the North East, the BJP is all out to ruin it.
At this juncture, the Congress will try to insulate the region from the vested interests who are trying to destroy its multi-ethnic identity. Only the Congress has tried to develop the region which is now being slowly attacked by the BJP government at the Centre, he added.