JOWAI: Three Independent MDCs of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) joined the Congress on Thursday.
Of the three, War West MDC Het Pohthmi, Nongjngi MDC Suklang Shylla and Muthlong-Sohkymphor MDC Skhemlang Suchiang, the first two were officially inducted in the party in a short meeting held at the chamber of the newly elected JHADC chief Awhoi Andrew Shullai. Suchiang will be inducted on Friday as he had to come to Shillong for work.
All the three were single-term MDCs elected in 2014.
“The three MDCs have taken the right decision to join our party. The Indian National Congress is the only party who can treat the people with optimism and no favoritism,” said the JHADC chief who is also the vice-president of the Congress in West Jaintia Hills.
When asked about the position of the Congress in the district in the 2018 polls, Andrew Shullai said, “The Congress will be successful in all the five legislative constituencies in West Jaintia Hills.”
Speaking on NGT ban on coal mining, the JHADC chief executive member said since the council’s revenue depends majorly on royalty from coal and limestone, the Congress-led executive committees have tried its best to work hand in hand with the State Government to get the ban revoked “but since it is a matter of the Green Court, it takes time as many procedures have to be followed”.
“The Congress Executive Committee and the Congress-led government in the state wish that the ban is lifted so that our people do not suffer,” Shullai said.
According to Shullai, BJP’s claim to help in lifting the NGT ban within six months of being voted to power “is nothing but a political propaganda which the people will never accept”.
