PN Syiem quits PDF after party ‘sidelines’ founder

SHILLONG: PN Syiem, who was instrumental in forming the People’s Democratic Front (PDF), resigned from the party that “sidelined” him.
Syiem, who was the chairman of PDF, shot off his resignation letter to PDF president Ivanlumlang Marbaniang on Sunday saying he had been sidelined from important meetings and party affairs.
“As the party that I had exerted to establish is not in need of my service any longer, whereby, this has come to light when I was sidelined and blindsided from the party’s important meetings and affairs,” he wrote in the letter.
“In order to avoid any internal and unstoppable conflict, I hereby tender my resignation from the post of chairman, spokesperson and as a member of the party,” he added.
The senior leader told The Shillong Times that a meeting was held where it was decided that the Mawsynram PDF zonal committee would be dissolved with immediate effect.
The development comes at a crucial time before the elections to the KHADC and the JHADC on February 27.
Syiem, who was the Congress MLA from Mawsynram, and others formed the PDF after he revolted against Congress leader Mukul Sangma for which he was expelled from the party.
Syiem later contested the 2018 Assembly polls from Mawsynram as a PDF candidate but he was defeated by Congress MLA HM Shangpliang.