SHILLONG, NOV 29: Meghalaya Congress leaders meet the Speaker of the State Assembly, Metbah Lyngdoh today to discuss the situation arising out of recent defection of 12 of the 17 Congress MLAs to All India Trinamool Congress (AITMC).
The highlights of the meeting are:
>Congress files petition with Speaker, seeking disqualification of 12 MLA dissenters.
> MPCC Chief Vincent H Pala led a delegation of party leaders to meet the Speaker.
> Ampareen Lyngdoh elected as CLP leader by the remaining five MLAs
Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh told media:
> No political party should allow this kind of exodus that discredits the political structure of our state.
> Verification of this merger can also be permitted because there are many aspects of 10th Schedule which should be taken into consideration.
> As a party, we have filed petitions against each defected individual MLAs.
> No reasons were made known to us by the dissenters before betraying us.
> Grey area of understanding – is it just a going and coming at their own convenient? They are answerable to us, legally.
> Where is this political party (AITMC) in the state of Meghalaya? But merger seems that effort put in by this party to call a merger.
> Para 2 of 10th Schedule needs to be read and interpretation of this merger should be questioned.
> Para 6 – whether or not these members have done all necessary requirements before they jumped ship.
> Looking at concerns of not less than two-third; where is the agreement? Has the CLP discussed this matter? This needs to be investigated by us under stipulation of Para 4 – whether it is legal.
> Everything has been tight-lipped; no documents were shared. What is the ground for this merger? A merger needs to be evaluated before being accepted. We see no parent body for them to merge with.
> Three conditions to study the merger and whether the requirements fulfilled- whether these have been done.
> Is it a number 17 or 19? This is something our legal team will be arguing. There is enough ground to fight for disqualification of these MLAs.
Advocate VGK Kynta speaks:
According to our legal think tank, we have a good case and we think this is a win-win situation for the Congress. We will not disclose our trump card but we have a good case at hand. We centre our thoughts only on two-third. There are other parameters to consider their disqualification.
> We are confident of winning the case. We hope the Speaker will consider our request, says Congress leader PN Syiem.
> All five of us, the remaining party MLAs, are very firm. We will stick with the Congress, says Mawlai MLA PT Sawkmie.
> Congress has requested the Speaker to convene a special session to discuss this so-called merger.
> According to information received, the Congress claimed that the decision to merge with AITC by the 12 MLAs was not discussed with leaders of block and district levels. “How can you call this a merger?” Sawkmie questioned.