SHILLONG, Dec 2: Smarting from the defection of 12 MLAs to the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), the state Congress leadership is hoping for a turnaround ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections.
Senior Congress leader and president of the party’s Shillong unit, PT Sawkmie admitted that the defection has jolted the party and left many workers right from the primary level disappointed.
The Congress high command intervened immediately after the desertion of the 12 Mukul Sangma-led MLAs to stem the erosion of its base. The party has begun the process of constituting new blocks in all the constituencies whose representatives have quit.
Sawkmie said the presidents of all these blocks are being appointed.
“The focus is now on re-strengthening the party right from the grassroots level. We understand it will take some time but we know the people of the state still have faith and confidence in Congress,” he said.
Sawkmie maintained each of the five Congress MLAs left is capable of strengthening and running the party in their respective domains. “By our hard work, we will again build Congress in the state,” he said.
Party insiders said Congress has MDCs who can work wonders for the 2023 polls.
Admitting that the going would be tough for Congress in the Garo Hills, he said the situation is different in the Khasi-Jaintia hills where many aspirants are keen on filling the space the MLAs have created by joining the TMC.
Sawkmie rued the resignation of James Lyngdoh and Manas Das Gupta from Congress. He felt they were “wrongly influenced by someone”.
Sawkmie is set to meet the presidents of the Block Congress Committees in the seven Assembly constituencies spanning Shillong to discuss strategies for the party.
