Cong confident Mukul will not betray party

SHILLONG, Sep 19: At a time when the rift between newly-elected Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president and three-time MP, Vincent H. Pala and Congress Legislature Party leader and former chief minister, Mukul M. Sangma seem to be widening, the State Congress has expressed confidence that the latter would not go against the party.
MPCC working president, Ampareen Lyngdoh on Sunday said she was confident that the CLP leader would not rebel against the party.
“Dr Mukul may be unhappy with this new arrangement. But it is unlikely that he will rebel since he has been a part and parcel of the party for so many years,” Lyngdoh said, while reacting to the question of the absence of the CLP leader and several party MLAs from Garo Hills from the formal induction ceremony of the new MPCC president, Vincent H. Pala on Saturday.
According to her, the party would need time to resolve the matter internally. “But this development is not going to affect the party. We had been waiting for the appointment of the MPCC president for so long,” she said.
Asked if Dr Mukul was unhappy with the re-induction of two former leaders — RG Lyngdoh and PN Syiem, the MPCC working president deflected from a clear answer and said, “May be on certain principles. He may be trying to put forward his point.”
“We need to give him (Mukul) time. We will try to meet to him to understand his position,” Lyngdoh said, adding that the party would have a definite edge if both Vincent Pala and Mukul Sangma lead the party in the 2023 Assembly elections.
“We would definitely benefit considering the experience and popularity of the two leaders,” she added.