SHILLONG, Nov 7: Congress leader, Mukul Sangma on Sunday asked National People’s Party (NPP) national president and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to set the party’s house in order and not train his gun on the Congress, claiming that many NPP MLAs will desert the party to contest the Assembly elections of 2023 from other parties.
“Let him take control of his party. In fact, many of his MLAs were willing to come out of the NPP and he was also busy ensuring that it did not happen,” Sangma told The Shillong Times.
He continued: “You will see something unfolding in the months to come. Many (MLAs) will come out of the NPP and contest from other parties.”
Countering the CM’s statement on the likely exodus of Congress MLAs, the leader of Opposition said, “As far as the Congress is concerned, it has at present 17 MLAs and I do not find any of our comrades looking at any scope of leaving the party.”
He said this was the reason why all those in the Congress tried to resolve the issues within the four walls of the party and he did not want to react to the comments of outsiders.
Sangma, who is a former CM, said as the Congress moves forward, taking up issues in the best interest of the state, things will start unfolding in its favour.
Stating that there is a reason for the party in power to celebrate Diwali, he said, “There will always be some among the electorates favouring their friends.”
“Therefore, when a party is in the opposition, people inclined to throw their weight behind such a party may think the time for the general elections is still there and the party in power is expected to continue for some more time, so they will go by the concept of fair weather fans,” he added.
There were reports that some Congress leaders had actually campaigned for the United Democratic Party candidate instead of their own candidate in the recent by-elections to Rajabala seat.
The reports had also said that some disgruntled MLAs of the NPP are weighing the options of defecting to other parties and contesting the Assembly elections on their tickets.