SHILLONG, Dec 6: After losing a dozen MLAs and a bunch of leaders and workers within a couple of weeks, Congress is hopeful of a revival in Meghalaya before the 2023 Assembly polls.
The party had been shaken by the defection of the MLAs to the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), particularly in the Garo Hills where it has no legislator left.
Manish Chatrath, the AICC’s Meghalaya in-charge, said the departure of the MLAs a year ahead of the Assembly polls has given the party time to strengthen the party. It would have been difficult had they quit two-three months before the polls.
“We have 12-13 months to work in these areas,” he told The Shillong Times on phone.
He said Congress would ensure that the positions vacated by the MLAs and the other leaders are filled with new faces, many of whom were eager to take over.
Admitting that the defection of the MLAs has been a setback for the party, he said it has opened up opportunities for the new and old people in the party.
Congress had in November lost 12 of its 17 MLAs to the AITC. Senior party leaders James Lyngdoh and Manas Das Gupta quit a few days later followed by a few senior youth leaders and a large chunk of NSUI members.
But Chatrath said the party had already dissolved the bodies before their resignation.
“Tomorrow, they may say that thousands have left just for the sake of saying,” he added.