SHILLONG: NPP state president WR Kharlukhi has said the MDA coalition will not be affected even if two-third of the congress MLAs shift to NPP ally, the United Democratic Party.
Amid speculation with regard to the opposition Congress MLAs trying to look for greener political pastures, the NPP on Wednesday asserted that the MDA coalition will continue to remain united.
With the Congress on the back foot after the crushing defeat in the recently held Lok Sabha elections, the hope of the state Congress to try and form the government has diminished resulting in rumours doing the rounds that many Congress MLAs are looking for an opportunity to shift their allegiance.
UDP senior leader Jemino Mawthoh had recently claimed that a few congress MLAs have spoken to the party to shift their allegiance.
However, Kharlukhi said the MDA coalition will last its full term as party president Donkupar Roy is a man of his word.
“As long as he is the president of the UDP, nothing will happen even if any MLA joins any side,” said Kharlukhi.
“Nobody can disturb this alliance. We stand strong together”, he asserted.
When asked for his comments on the claims of Mawthoh that Congress MLAs were in touch with the UDP to shift their allegiance, Kharlukhi said, ” It is natural as they know for sure the door is closed for them and they have no chance to form the government as the Congress was decimated at the Centre”.
He also cleared the air and said there are no feelers from any of the congress MLAs to join the NPP, but he added, “Let’s wait and watch”. On the claims made by the Congress recently to form an alternative government, Kharlukhi said that nobody wants to form a government with the Congress and hence the MLAs are looking to better their political prospects by talking to other parties.