From CK Nayak
NEW DELHI: Shillong MP Vincent Pala is least affected by the MDA’s move to field a common candidate but his worry is his own party since he did not get much support in the last polls.
For the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the UDP wants a reciprocal arrangement that the party will support NPP candidate in Tura and the MDA partners should support a UDP candidate for Shillong.
However, for Pala, the cause for worry is his party whereas he is close to leaders of NPP and other regional parties, including UDP in the state and BJP leaders at the Centre.
Though CLP leader Mukul Sangma and Pala were partners earlier, they do not share close ties anymore.
With Lapang’s exit now and many others earlier, Mukul has almost total control over the party.
But prior to the Assembly polls, Pala was appointed working president of MPCC due to his proximity with AICC leaders.
Pala, who was one of the 44 MPs who won from the Congress, is most likely to get the ticket for Shillong seat again despite stiff opposition from within his own party. Once he gets the ticket, he is expecting support from all cutting across parties barring some of his own Congress leaders.
But Pala has started nurturing some Congress leaders like former Assembly Speaker and MLA Charles Pyngrope.
The newly appointed AICC general secretary Luizinho Faleiro and the secretary in-charge of the state David Keishing are also close to him.
Pala also has the support of the local church leaders.
He won the Lok Sabha seat for the first time in 2009 though he was not involved in politics.
He became a minister in the UPA and even got additional charge though dropped later reportedly at the behest of his own top party leaders.