SHILLONG, Oct 26: MPCC president and Lok Sabha member, Vincent H. Pala on Tuesday said five-time Chief Minister, Donwa Dethwelson Lapang is keen on returning to Congress.
He said the party is looking forward to Lapang’s return after the AICC’s nod to initiate negotiations.
The veteran leader had quit Congress in 2018 and joined the National People’s Party. He is presently the chief adviser to the NPP-led government in Meghalaya with perks and facilities equivalent to the top political appointees in the state.
Stating that Lapang left Congress due to emotional reasons and wants to come back now, Pala said: “There is a letter from the district committees who want him to come back. I have church leaders of various denominations saying that Lapang should be brought back to Congress because he served the party for a very long time.”
He recalled that Lapang had made Congress very strong in the Ri-Bhoi district and had mentored leaders like Mayralborn Syiem and Charles Marngar, who are now doing very well.
“I would appeal to him to come back to Congress at the earliest, but it is ultimately up to him to decide,” Pala said, adding he visited Lapang on a few occasions but could not talk politics as he was not alone.
“I will approach him again after I get the permission from the high command,” he said.