SHILLONG, Sept 18: Former KHADC chief PN Syiem, who returned to the Congress recently, said he has decided to contest the 2023 Assembly elections from the Pynthorumkhrah seat.
“I have decided to serve people for five years after contesting the Assembly elections of 2023 from Pynthorumkhrah seat. It is a difficult constituency but I am ready to face the challenge,” Syiem said.
The seat is currently held by BJP strongman and former Minister AL Hek.
Syiem said his Mawkhar-Pynthorukhrah MDC constituency covers parts of Shillong North and Pynthorumkhrah.
Talking about his decision to make a comeback to the Congress, Syiem said, “Going by the present situation under the National People’s Party-led coalition, I think I do not need to explain anything. The people know it better than me. They want to see a change.”
“The Congress can bring that change by forming an alternative government in 2023. This fact convinced me to come back to the party,” he said.
Attacking the United Democratic Party (UDP) and other regional parties, he asserted, “Do you think the UDP can return to power after the next election? It cannot. These smaller parties cannot do anything as they are parts of a government which has failed.”
Syiem claimed the state’s financial position was never so precarious like what it is today. He alleged that rampant illegal transportation of coal under this government has hit the state exchequer hard.
Claiming that the government has mishandled the COVID-19 situation, he said there are allegations galore about illegalities and scams under this government.
He said despite a strong presence of the BJP in the state in 2018, the Congress had managed to win 21 seats. “As the MDA (Meghalaya Democratic Alliance) has failed in all sectors, I think the Congress stands a good chance of getting an absolute majority in 2023,” Syiem said confidently.
He said he has no issues with Leader of the Opposition, Dr Mukul Sangma and is willing to work together with him as well as Congress’s state unit chief Vincent Pala.
“We (he and Sangma) have a conflict of opinion over some issues. However, I have nothing personal against him. We have been in touch for the past year and I had told him about my possible return to the Congress,” Syiem added.
