CM backs leaders’ decision to opt out

SHILLONG: Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma has defended the decision of the three senior Congress leaders, including DD Lapang, to back out from contesting the Assembly elections.
“Our president told me that he is 85 years and another five years will make him 90 years,” Sangma said.
According to the chief minister, Lapang is confident the party would win from Nongpoh constituency and so he wanted to relieve himself.
“Now he (Lapang) can focus more as president as he is relieved of an extra burden,” he said, adding that the decision of not contesting the elections does not mean retiring from politics.
Apart from Lapang, senior party leaders, RC Laloo and Roshan Warjri recently decided not to contest next year’s Assembly elections.
Sangma said the decision of the leaders not to contest the polls must be respected since it was based on an understanding with full commitment to help the party in whatever way possible.
Chief minister Mukul Sangma also predicted that in the 2023 elections, many more leaders in the state, not necessarily from the Congress, will take a call of not contesting the elections.