JOWAI: Congress legislators Ampareen Lyngdoh and HM Shangpliang campaigned in Iawmusiang in West Jaintia Hills on Monday for the party’s candidate Vincent Pala for Shillong Lok Sabha seat.
Addressing a gathering, Lyngdoh urged people of Jaintia Hills to vote for Pala because “he is from your district, he is the son of this soil”.
“Will you deny him? Will you not vote for him? Please vote for him and for the Congress party,” she added.
Among those present at the campaign meet was MB Rymbai, former JHADC chief who was recently defeated as NPP candidate in the district council election. He is a former Congress leader and joined NPP in 2017.
Rymbai said, “I was defeated by low margin but I assure you that most of the voters in my constituency will vote for Pala.”
Calling Pala a real Jaintia, he said people here “will vote for their own candidate just like during the time of former MP P R Kyndiah”.
Congress MDCs and former MDCs were also present and the meet was chaired by former JHADC chief and MDC of Jowai Central A Andrew Shullai.
Mawsynram MLA Himalaya Shangpliang said the BJP will change India into Hindustan, a Hindu country, if they come in power.
“For the last five years they have ruled India and we have been facing various kinds of problem such as ban on beef, others and the most recent unforgettable (development) is the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which has created great fear in the entire North East,” Shangpliang said.
Both Ampareen and Shangpliang talked about the Congress manifesto, which says the border disputes in the northeastern states would be resolved immediately, increase in the number of days in the MGNREGA from 100 to 150 days and maximum income of up to Rs 6,000 per month to the poorest family, among other promises. “Indian National Congress is the only party who works for the people irrespective of caste and creed. The Congress under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru had freed India from British rule and it is the only party in the country that respects secularism,” Rymbai said.
