SHILLONG, Oct 17: Congress veteran and two-time chief minister, Mukul Sangma’s fate as the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader remains uncertain with a section of party leaders and MLAs raising their voice for election of a new CLP leader and while senior leaders like Charles Pyngrope and Ampareen Lyngdoh have stated that Sangma will continue as CLP leader, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president, Vincent H Pala has remained non-committal on the contentious subject.
Though Pala on Sunday termed as “murmurs” the demand from party leaders and legislators for election of a new CLP leader he also made it clear that MLAs will be given full authority to decide on a new CLP leader if the need arises.
“My job is to run the party and the MLAs will decide amongst themselves who the CLP leader should be. I will give them full authority to decide whatever they want,” Pala said without being explicit.
Pala also did not deny reports of demand for a change in the CLP leadership and said, “I have not received any official complaint from the MLAs as of now. There may be a section of people who are not happy.”
Earlier, some Congress MLAs had pressed for removal of Sangma as CLP leader claiming that he was making attempts to split the party.
Cong looking to winall three seats
Speaking about the October 30 by-elections, the MPCC president said the Congress was looking to win all the three seats and asserted that a clear picture will emerge in four to five days.
“The Congress is doing well as of now but the public will ultimately decide who will win or lose,” the MPCC president said, while exuding confidence that the party is looking to win all the three seats.
He did not undermine the fact that the NPP and the UDP are in the government and have their own strategies in place. “It is too early to speak on the trend,” he said.
He also clarified that no party leaders from outside the state will be campaigning for the bypolls.
The Congress has fielded Kennedy C Khyriem in Mawphlang, Highlander Kharmalki in Mawryngkneng and Hashina Yasmin Mondal from Rajabala for the by-elections which are being seen by many as a trendsetter for the 2023 assembly elections in the state.