SHILLONG: Though the NPP-led MDA government is finding it tough to address varied issues confronting the state, the Congress is unable to effect any change due to two reasons — confusion over the party’s leadership and the blessings of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre on NPP.
According to party sources, there would have been a Congress-led government had the party legislators projected anyone other than CLP leader Mukul Sangma as their leader.
Soon after the 2018 Assembly polls, the Congress had emerged as the single largest party with 21 seats but it could not form the government as the regional parties were not willing to work with it due to the leadership issue.
Later, the Congress lost two seats — Ranikor after MM Danggo resigned to switch over to NPP and Selsella where NPP gained after the death of Congress legislator Clement Marak.
Many party legislators wanted the CLP leader to take responsibility for the setbacks in the Lok Sabha polls in Tura and the bypolls to Selsella and Shella seats.
Sources said the move of several Congress legislators to change party affiliation is due to the stand of the CLP leader who, according to the rebel legislators, is not able to carry the MLAs along.
Moreover, the state legislators do not foresee a bright future because the Congress’s central leadership is unable to address their concerns as the AICC has become weak following its defeat in the Lok Sabha polls.
The sources admitted that it will be difficult to unseat the present NPP-led MDA coalition due to the Centre’s support to the state government where BJP is a part of the ruling dispensation.
Independent MLA Lambor Malngiang, the leader of the United Progressive Front (UPF) that has six legislators, recently said that the Congress had approached them to form an alternative government but the UPF was not ready. Besides Malngiang, the UPF consists of four PDF MLAs and one NCP legislator.
