SHILLONG: Former Congress leader, Rowell Lyngdoh who is now a part and parcel of the National People’s Party (NPP), feels that the Congress will not come back to power in Meghalaya for at least five years.
Talking to media persons here on Tuesday, Lyngdoh said that Congress would not do well even in future since Congress had not been able to do justice with the people in many areas of the state, especially when Mukul Sangma was heading the state government though they had done a lot.
On the other hand, he said that NPP was doing well in the state and it might even replace Congress in the state.
Right now, both NPP and Congress have 20 MLAs each in the House of 60 in Meghalaya.
When asked about the Danggo’s debacle in Ranikor, he said that the regional parties had always controlled South and West Khasi Hills while adding that there were rumours about money floating in Ranikor constituency just few days before the election.
“ We don’t know if the talk about money floating was a rumour or a fact,” he said while admitting that the decision of Danggo to resign just three months after being elected was also a factor for his loss since people in rural areas think a lot before they do something.
“ He (Danggo) should have thought properly before jumping and I think the situation was same in my case as many people thought what this new party all about was,” he added.
Asserting that MM Danggo tried his best to develop the constituency, Lyngdoh, however, added , “ We cannot say that he was successful in every aspect because people’s aspirations are very high.”
He also defended the decision of Danggo to leave Congress and join NPP saying Mukul Sangma had promised that Ranikor would be upgraded to a civil sub division, but the former Chief Minister never kept the promise.
“ People in the constituency have not realised that Danggo sacrificed his seat for the area to be developed as a civil sub division,” Lyngdoh added.