SHILLONG: Advisor to Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee and veteran Congress leader D.D. Lapang declined requests from Congress leaders to contest the Assembly elections as he wanted to project a young face from Nongpoh constituency.
MPCC working president, Vincent Pala, former chief minister SC Marak and chief minister Mukul Sangma had requested Lapang to contest the elections during a felicitation programme attended by Congress legislators, party functionaries and All India
) Congress Committee (AICC) co-coordinator, Anil Thomas on Friday.
Calling upon Lapang to contest the elections, Sangma said, “We have to work as a team. Nongpoh is a Congress bastion except for one time. He (Lapang) remains young and strong. Who will say he is 85?”
“The party will take care. The beauty of the party is that we don’t work as an individual but work collectively as a party even in the constituency,” he said.
He acknowledged the presence of Lapang as a father figure to the party and the people of the state. “We have had a long association with Dr Lapang and took advice on matters of governance from him,” Sangma said.
He further recalled that he had to work under Lapang as deputy chief minister, and under his guidance managed to become chief minister later.
Earlier, Pala recalled that Lapang was hospitalised twice recently. Seeing his improved health condition, Pala requested him to contest the elections, adding that Lapang became weak as he had to attend 16 meetings in a day.
He was informed by a doctor from North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences that Lapang’s health resembles that of 65 years old.
“We need him. This is a request from the AICC general secretary in charge of Meghalaya, CP Joshi that Lapang should contest the elections,” Pala said.
On the other hand, Lapang showed a firm decision not to contest the Assembly polls as he has served Nongpoh constituency for 40 years and his advancing age is another struggle.
“I want to project some young people equipped with scientific knowledge,” he said, adding that winnability factor of the candidate should be there.
Adding a touch of humour, he asked whether SC Marak will also follow his footsteps to bring up young people in his place.
