SHILLONG, Oct 19: National People’s Party (NPP) national vice president, Prestone Tynsong on Tuesday took potshots at the Congress, alleging that the previous governments in Meghalaya and Assam under the grand old party had never tried to resolve the protracted boundary disputes between the two states.
Addressing an election campaign for NPP candidate, Pyniaid Sing Syiem at Mawdieja, Tynsong said he had not seen the Congress making any attempt to resolve the problem since he became an MLA in 2003.
He recalled that former Chief Ministers DD Lapang of Meghalaya and the late Tarun Gogoi of Assam would meet to discuss the issue.
“But in reality, no discussions took place. The meetings would end in having tea and we would return to the state. This is the irony. The Congress has ruled the state for nearly 40 years,” Tynsong, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister, said.
He asserted that the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government is committed to resolving the boundary issue in the interest of the border residents of both states.
“We want the residents to live in peace. This will be possible if there is proper demarcation of the border,” Tynsong said. He lamented that the Congress is allegedly trying to mislead people by describing the government’s move to relocate the residents of Harijan Colony at Them Iew Mawlong as “election propaganda” of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and himself.
“I want to make it very clear that we are serious about relocating the residents of this area. The High Level Committee, which is headed by me, has already submitted a report,” Tynsong said.
Stating that the poor farmers always have a sense of insecurity when they pass through this place, he said the relocation of the residents is also important to ease traffic snarls and ensure safety of the locality.
“It will be a victory of the people if we are able to relocate the residents. We are all aware that it is a long-pending demand,” the Deputy CM said.
Talking about the reported internal rumblings in the Congress, he said it is unfortunate to see the fight between party stalwarts Mukul Sangma, who is the leader of Opposition, and Vincent H Pala, the party’s state unit president.
“Both had to wait for weeks to get an audience with the AICC interim president, Sonia Gandhi. If they were in the NPP, the fight between the two of them would have been resolved in no time,” Tynsong claimed.
This is the advantage of being in a national party with a regional leadership, he said making a reference to the NPP.