SHILLONG: Senior Congress leader, Deborah Marak has downplayed the desertions of MLAs from Congress, saying the party has found replacements in their respective constituencies.
“They left the party because of their own reasons but it does not matter to us,” Marak said.
Speaking to The Shillong Times here on Wednesday, Marak expressed confidence that their desertions would not have any impact on the party and that it would contest in all the 60 seats.
So far, six Congress MLAs, including AL Hek, Sniawbhalang Dhar, Comingone Ymbon, Prestone Tynsong, Rowell Lyngdoh and Ngaitlang Dhar have left the party in the state to join National People’s Party and BJP.
Maintaining that Congress will emerge as the single largest party after the polls, Marak pointed out that Hek was not a senior leader of the party and he was in the habit of coming and going out of the party.
“It was expected that he (Hek) will go back to his original party and we knew it,” Marak said.
Marak further said their decision has not demoralised the party and the senior leaders were just paving the way for the younger generation to carry on with the baton.
Three senior leaders of Congress — DD Lapang, RC Laloo and Roshan Warjri — have backed out of the upcoming Assembly elections owing to personal reasons.
Marak further said the party would win more than 15 seats in Garo Hills region out of 24 seats.
