SHILLONG: Eight legislators, most of them from the Congress, are set to join NPP in the first week of January.
State NPP president WR Kharlukhi said on Friday that the joining of the eight MLAs — Congress’s Prestone Tynsong, Rowell Lyngdoh, Comingone Ymbon, Sniawbhalang Dhar and Ngaitlang Dhar, UDP’s Remington Pyngrope, and independents Stephanson Mukhim and Hopeful Bamon — will be a boost to the party.
While suspended Congress legislator Pyngshngainlang N Syiem recently quit from the Assembly and the party, other rebel legislators of the Congress were waiting for an opportune time.
When contacted, Tynsong did not reveal the exact date of joining NPP. “I will let you know a day before my entry to the party,” Tynsong said.
However, another rebel legislator, Rowell Lyngdoh, said since the government has already sanctioned the MLA schemes, he will formally join NPP soon.
NPP dares Lanong
While commenting on the stand of UDP leader Bindo Lanong on paper ballot, Kharlukhi said Lanong should have accepted the challenge posed by the Election Commission after the Punjab polls to test the efficacy of EVMs.
“I wanted to know why UDP did not participate in the Election Commission’s challenge along with AAP,” Kharlukhi said.
While Lanong still wants to have paper ballot for the 2018 Assembly polls, Kharlukhi said NPP does not see any problem with EVMs.
