SHILLONG, July 1: Suspended Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh has slammed All India Trinamool (AITC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee for using unparliamentary language against Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.
She asked the people to be wary of political parties such as AITC that “will bring unhealthy politics” to the state.
Pointing out that mudslinging was alien to politics in Meghalaya, Lyngdoh said a new party trying to woo the voters with “verbal diarrhoea” will start its election campaign on a wrong footing.
“Even before the AITC contests its maiden election in the state, there is resentment in the party and many of its MLAs and members are planning to quit,” she said, slamming political parties from outside for looking down upon everyone in the state.
During his recent visit to Shillong, Banerjee went hammer and tongs against the CM, the MDA government and the BJP over several issues in the state. “We should be cautious of such parties that believe in hitting below the belt,” Lyngdoh said.
There have been speculations about the suspended Congress MLA contesting the 2023 Assembly polls from another party. But she has been insisting on remaining with Congress. “We will decide on our future course of action if Congress does not want us,” she said.
Lyngdoh and four other Congress MLAs – Mohendro Rapsang, Kimfa Marbaniang, Mayralborn Syiem and PT Sawkmie – were suspended after they decided to support the MDA government, of which the BJP is a constituent. There are reports that the other four could join either the NPP or UDP before the polls.
AITC files FIR over fake press release
The Meghalaya Pradesh Trinamool Congress (MPTC) on Friday filed an FIR with the cyber cell of the state police over a fake press statement circulated on social media in the name of party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
In the FIR, Meghalaya Pradesh Trinamool Congress Committee vice president James Lyngdoh said the fake press statement bearing the forged signature of Banerjee was circulated on June 29 when he had visited the city to inaugurate the party office.
The fake release circulated by unknown miscreants stated that the party had announced the second list of the names of two candidates – Vicky Dey from South Shillong and Patricia Mukhim, Editor of The Shillong Times from Mawlai constituency for the 2023 assembly polls, Lyngdoh wrote in the FIR.
“The fabricated press statement was circulated to defame and malign the image of the party and also the name and image of the Editor of the Shillong Times who is a Padma Shri recipient and a well known personality in the society,” the FIR says.
The party demanded immediate action by Meghalaya Police to apprehend the culprits and initiate necessary action under relevant sections of the IT Act, 2000.
