SHILLONG, Jan 11: The All India Congress Committee (AICC) will devise its future steps on the defection of the 12 state Congress MLAs to the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) after getting a report from the party’s state chief Vincent H Pala.
AICC Meghalaya in-charge, Manish Chatrath on Tuesday said Pala and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, Ampareen Lyngdoh are discussing the matter and they would send a report to him by this week on how to go about it.
“We will follow it up if required,” Chatrath said.
The Congress was supposed to meet after the New Year celebration to discuss the issue after the Assembly Speaker had recognised the dozen legislators’ merger with the AITC. However, as it appears now, the CLP leader does not seem to be keen on following up the matter.
She said there is a huge responsibility on her to strengthen the party and find out the right candidates for Assembly elections.
“We are of the opinion that with just 11 months left for the polls, we have a little time. We are strengthening the party in all corners and this is taking a lot of our attention,” Lyngdoh said.
The party’s state leaders held a meeting with the AICC virtually on Tuesday where some pressing matters were discussed in view of the elections.
Lyngdoh said the party’s immediate priorities are preparing the election manifesto and identifying the right candidates. She said the party leaders from Shillong will visit New Delhi soon to discuss matters concerning the polls.
Stating that the Congress will form a manifesto committee, she said the party will fight the deserters in the field.
“My advice to the Pradesh Congress Committee president is that we don’t have time to focus on all these. We will fight them (deserters) through public mandate,” Lyngdoh added.