Over 80 Cong members join Paul’s fold

SHILLONG: Over 80 office bearers from four units of the Block Congress Committee, West Shillong, joined UDP during a programme held at Shillong Club on Saturday.
Giving a boost to UDP, members of the Block Congress Committee from Them Mawbah, Lumlyer, Pdengshnong and Lama Villa joined the regional party.
Gerald Shullai, organising secretary of UDP, West Shillong constituency, said that the members decided to join the party on their own will. Commenting on the reason behind the desertion, general secretary of Lumlyer unit T. Lyngkhoi said, “We find it difficult as we were sidelined in everything and there is no cooperation. The new members sidelined the old members of the unit.”
“The Congress has a bleak future as there are doubts about stability and good governance and the public cannot rely on the ruling party,” he added.
Referring to the sitting legislator Paul Lyngdoh, who recently came under public scanner for alleged misappropriation of funds, Lyngkhoi said, “The campaign is directed towards character assassination of our sitting MLA.”
He claimed that discussions on the welfare of the constituency do not figure in the election campaigns of the Congress.
Sidamon Kurbah, a former supporter of M Rapsang, said she left the Congress as old party members were ignored by the leader who only paid attention to new members.