SHILLONG: Former Congress leader DD Lapang, who is set to join the NPP soon, has said the Congress should be thankful to him for being with the party for years despite many adversities.
He also made it clear that he does not have any regret to leave the Congress.
Lapang was reacting to the statement of former chief minister Mukul Sangma that the veteran leader had received all benefits when he was in the Congress.
Sangma had also cautioned Lapang against joining the NPP and termed the move as a mistake.
However, in his response on Thursday, Lapang told The Shillong Times that the Congress should be thankful to him since he stood with the party despite all the adversities in the past and contributed much to its expansion in the state.
Lapang reminded that in the past, when there was a plan of merger of APHLC with Congress, he and late PG Marbaniang were the advocates for the cause and stood with the Congress for long.
Lapang said when he was the home minister, those who were against the Congress party torched his house at Jaiaw and also destroyed the restaurant of his son near Dinam Hall, but that did not deter him from serving the party.
The former chief minister also said when the AICC wanted a replacement first with JD Rymbai and then with Mukul Sangma, he stepped down but remained faithful to the Congress party.
Reiterating that he had served the Congress for the last 50 years, Lapang said whatever he achieved was through his sacrifice and hard work.
According to Lapang, the Congress cannot claim that everything was the gift of AICC.
“I admit that AICC blessed me but whatever is achieved by me cannot be treated as a gift from the AICC. The high command and the state leaders should not forget to appreciate the good works of a senior leader,” he said, adding, “I do not regret leaving the party but the way I was treated by the party leaders is deplorable.”
He reiterated that since the AICC wanted to phase out senior leaders, he came out of the party as the elders were not respected in the Congress.
“There is no record of appreciation and the only record is that senior leaders should be phased out,” he said.
Lapang also reminded that Rahul Gandhi did not pay heed to his request to continue as the president of MPCC till the Assembly polls were over.
