SHILLONG: The pre-election slugfest between the chief minister and one of his former Cabinet colleagues became intense on Thursday with the latter retaliating to Mukul Sangma’s personal attack.
Former PHE minister Prestone Tynsong hit back at Sangma for his truancy remark saying the chief minister attended office once a week between 2013 and 2016.
“Nobody knew where he would disappear,” Tynsong told The Shillong Times.
Sangma said on Wednesday Tynsong and other ministers frequently travelled to Kolkata instead of attending office.
Terming the allegations as an election gimmick, Tynsong said the chief minister does not have any other issue to highlight.
“Why he did not tell me anything when I was the minister,” Tynsong said while recalling that MLAs from far used to come to his office for discussions after they failed to meet Sangma.
The rebel Congress legislator said the chief minister should think twice before making such allegations because so far only Sangma’s policies were criticised and no personal attack was made. “His policies are not as desired by the people,” Tynsong said.
Attacking Sangma for challenging rebel MLAs to resign, Tynsong said he was aware of the rules and constitutional obligations.
“I don’t need his advice and I have my own calculations and when time comes, I will resign,” he said and added that he would join NPP probably after the Assembly session, which ends on December 14.
Tynsong also denied the allegations that he is joining NPP for the post of chief minister asserting that he cannot accept the policies of the government under the leadership of Mukul Sangma.
He pointed out that the chief minister’s post is not Sangma’s property and the task of choosing a state head is on elected MLAs.
“My intention is that we will like to serve better be it in my constituency or in other parts of the state,” he said and added that many things that Sangma did were not for the benefit of the people.
