SHILLONG, March 18: The heads of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee are yet to discuss the fate of the five suspended party MLAs who supported the National People’s Party-led MDA government without the approval of the All India Congress Committee.
“We have not been able to meet to discuss this matter since our president, Vincent H Pala is pre-occupied,” a senior MPCC leader said here on Saturday.
The meeting is expected as soon as Pala is available.
Earlier, Congress had indicated it would take a decision on the five suspended MLAs after the Assembly polls in five states. There has been no directive from the AICC on the matter, the senior MPCC leader said.
The five MLAs – Ampareen Lyngdoh, PT Sawkmie, Mayralborn Syiem, Mohendro Rapsang and Kimfa Marbaniang – were suspended for supporting the MDA government.
They were served with a show-cause notice and asked to reply within 10 days. None of the suspended MLAs has replied to date.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had in the Assembly defended the decision of the five to support his government. He said there was an attempt to misinterpret the decision taken by the suspended Congress MLAs.
“It is not for any political gain which prompted them to join the government. All the five MLAs have supported the government due to the people-centric policies. I would like to appreciate their decision for coming forward to ensure that the government takes its policies to their logical end,” Sangma said.
According to him, the five MLAs took the step in the interest of the people of their respective constituencies. “It is wrong to say politics prompted them to join the government,” he added.