SHILLONG: AICC general secretary in-charge of Meghalaya, CP Joshi will hold meetings with party functionaries on Wednesday to ensure unity within the party ahead of the 2018 Assembly polls.
A party leader said on Sunday that Joshi would arrive on Tuesday evening and meet MPCC president DD Lapang and Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.
The next day, he will meet the presidents of block Congress committees, district Congress presidents, party MLAs, MDCs and MPs to discuss the poll preparedness.
Shillong MP Vincent Pala said the AICC leader would also discuss health minister Roshan Warjri’s sudden announcement to not contest the elections.
Legal adviser to the Congress, WHD Syngkon was named by the Block Congress as its candidate following the decision of Warjri.
The meeting of Joshi with state party leaders also assumes significance in the context of exodus of several party leaders from the Congress.
In fact, senior Congress leader and former deputy chief minister, Rowell Lyngdoh had questioned Joshi’s silence when a group of Congress legislators had demanded a change of leadership in CLP in the past.
Besides Lyngdoh, KHADC CEM PN Syiem was also vocal against the style and functioning of the chief minister which ultimately led to his suspension from the party for three years.
While Rowell is set to join NPP, Syiem’s preference is the newly floated People’s Democratic Front (PDF).
Congress MLAs, Prestone Tynsong, Sniawbhalang Dhar and Ngaitlang Dhar have also decided to part ways with the party.
The meeting of the AICC leader with party functionaries will assess the impact of the exit of the Congress legislators from the party and the ways and means to mitigate the damage.
Earlier, AICC secretary in-charge, Meghalaya, Vijayalaxmi Sadho had met the party functionaries in parts of the state to assess the ground reality.
