Rowell not to apply for Congress ticket

SHILLONG: Annoyed over MPCC president DD Lapang dissolving the Mawkyrwat Block Congress Committee, legislator and former deputy chief minister Rowell Lyngdoh has decided not to apply for ticket from the Congress.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Lyngdoh said on Tuesday that he would also decide his future course of action after the Assembly session.
“I will not apply for party ticket since the intention of the Congress is to oust me,” he said.
To a question on whether he would leave the Congress to join any other party, Rowell said, “I will first consult my supporters as it was they who elected me. I will take a decision after the House session.”
Recently, after the dissolution of the Mawkyrwat Block Congress Committee, several Congress members led by former vice president of the Block and AICC member Diverland Lyngdoh quit from the party and joined NPP.
Though there is pressure for Rowell to join NPP, he is yet to decide on the matter.
According to Rowell, though Lapang claimed that the dissolution of several blocks was not aimed at the sitting legislators, his statement is an eye wash.
“Lapang knows how to talk cleverly, but his intentions are to oust me and others by way of dissolving several blocks,” Rowell said.
The veteran Congress leader said Lapang had sent Congress MDC Mansturdy Nongkrem to several areas in Mawkyrwat to speak ill of him with the sole intention to prevent him from contesting on Congress ticket.
“But people of Mawkyrwat are clever and they will not support Mansturdy either,” Rowell said.
 According to Rowell, Lapang is citing old age to deny party ticket to him and another reason the MPCC president points out is his anti-party activities.
However, Lapang is older than Rowell and the former will seek re-election from Nongpoh.
Rowell said he criticised the party so that the Congress can take corrective steps and he was not involved in any anti-party activities.
Earlier in April this year, based on the complaints from Mansturdy, the MPCC had issued showcause notice to Rowell who, however, denied the accusations.