SHILLONG: Former Congress leader R.G Lyngdoh said that with just a year to go for the State Assembly polls the Congress can be checked from coming back to power only if there is understanding among the non-Congress parties.
Lyngdoh’s statement assumes significance at a time when the non-Congress parties are yet to make clear their stand on any possible pre-poll alliance.
“The Congress fields candidates in all the 60 seats and if at all the party’s presence has to be checked all over the state, there should be pre-poll understanding among the non-Congress parties,” Lyngdoh said.
According to Lyngdoh, since several political parties in the State are region-based focusing on Khasi Hills and Garo Hills separately, there will be fragmented result if any existing political party fields candidates on its own without any pre-poll support from the likeminded parties.
While UDP, HSPDP and KHNAM have presence only in Khasi-Jaintia Hills, the stronghold of NPP is only in Garo Hills. The Congress, however, has presence all over the State that puts it in an advantageous position. It is to be seen whether BJP, which is yet to have a single legislator in the Assembly, will put up candidates in all the 60 seats in 2018.
Lyngdoh pointed out that if there is no understanding among the non-Congress political parties, the Congress, which will put up candidates in all the 60 constituencies, will gain as in the past.
When asked about a third alternative beyond the Congress and the non-Congress parties in the State, Lyngdoh said the issue is whether any new party would be able to field candidates in all the 60 seats.