SHILLONG, Feb 15: Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president, Vincent H Pala on Tuesday asserted that he was not the one behind the suspension of the five party MLAs who had extended support to the MDA Government.
Pala told The Shillong Times that he had no clue that the MLAs had issued a one-week deadline for his removal. He also claimed that the MLAs demanded his ouster only after their suspension.
Pala said after the MLAs decided to work with the MDA Government, there were media reports that CLP leader Ampareen Lyngdoh had dared the AICC to take action against them after which the party high command directed him to submit a report on the matter.
“Then we called the SEC meeting where most of the members said they were not in favour of working with the MDA and then I sent a report to Delhi. The AICC later issued the order to suspend them,” Pala said, adding that he has no authority to suspend the MLAs.
The MPCC president also dismissed the claims of the five suspended MLAs that he had acted in an autocratic manner by appointing chosen people in various committees and party posts unilaterally.
“All appointments were made by the AICC based on recommendations by various state committees,” Pala said. Some of these MLAs like former CLP leader, Ampareen Lyngdoh are part of such committees, he added.
Asked about the demand of the MLAs to remove him from the MPCC president’s post, Pala said the MLAs were vacillating even on their allegations. “Sometimes they blame me, sometimes the AICC,” Pala said.
On the allegations that the MPCC chief has promised party tickets to several people on his own, Pala said that Assembly elections are more than a year away. How can anyone promise ticket to a probable well ahead of time, he countered.
Pala sounded optimistic that the ongoing political developments within the party will only help the Congress prosper in Meghalaya. “The Congress has to be strong in its action and we will not grow with a weak system and with indiscipline. On one hand you abuse BJP and on the other hand, you decide to work together. How can that be possible?” Pala said.
He said that the tough stand of the AICC against the MLAs only goes to prove that the high command will take action against anyone who goes against the principles and ideologies of the party.
Yet to receive suspension order: Metbah
Assembly Speaker, Metbah Lyngdoh on Tuesday said he had not received any official communication from the All India Congress Committee on the suspension of the five Congress MLAs.
“Nothing has been brought to my notice on the suspension of the five MLAs,” Lyngdoh told reporters, adding that he has only come across media reports on the latest political developments in the state.