Shillong, Oct 6: The Congress has suffered a setback with party leader, Norbert Marboh, deciding to contest the upcoming bye-elections from the Mawryngkneng seat as an independent.
He is miffed that the party ignored him even after he had served it for 20 years.
The Congress has fielded Highlander Kharmalki in Mawryngkneng. He had contested the 2018 Assembly elections from the seat on the ticket of the People’s Democratic Front.
At a meeting of party workers and members of Mawryngkneng Block Congress Committee (MBCC), Marboh asked them not to listen to party leaders if they come to persuade them.
“We should not listen to the party leaders since they do not have a single vote in the constituency,” he said.
“It is unfortunate that the party decided to field an outsider. People are not happy with the choice of candidate. They will vote for the independent candidate like what they did in 2013 when they had voted for the late David A Nongrum,” Marboh said.
He admitted that it is not going to be an easy contest but he exuded confidence that with a strong will and commitment, he will be able to put up a fight.
Earlier, Congress leader, Charles Pyngrope had stated Marboh should have applied for a party ticket.
It was reported that a section of Congress workers and supporters are not happy with the party’s decision to field Kharmalki who had allegedly told some senior leaders of the MBCC that they should take care of party supporters since he will be focusing only on his supporters.
The statement apparently angered many Congress workers and supporters who demanded that he should not be fielded from the constituency.
Reacting to the development, MPCC president Vincent H. Pala said it will be difficult to predict if Marboh’s decision will affect the party’s prospect.
“We will know once we start campaigning in the field,” Pala said, adding that he has asked Marboh to reconsider his decision.
“After the filing of nominations, we will have a clear idea on how many follow their leaders who decide to desert the Congress,” he said.
The MPCC president said that Marboh will have to resign from the party if he plans to contest as an independent.
“He can resign at the block level since it is not necessary that his resignation has to come to me,” he said.