MAWKYRWAT, Nov 19: President of the now depleted State Congress and Lok Sabha member from Shillong, Vincent H Pala, on Saturday claimed that the Congress will return to power as he reasoned that the party had lost only some of its MLAs and leaders, who were “bought” by other political parties.
Maintaining that Congress’ supporters are still in its backyard and no one can buy them, Pala said the party will come back to power and lead the government after 2023 polls.
Pala said this while speaking at a meeting of the Ranikor Block Congress Committee (RBCC) at Rangthong village, South West Khasi Hills, to felicitate the Congress candidate from Ranikor Constituency, Victorealness Syiemlieh.
Syiemlieh recently received the National Florence Nightingale Award for Nurses, 2021, from the President of India, Droupadi Murmu.
Admitting that after the exodus of Congress MLAs there was some despair and weakness in the party, Pala said they subsequently learned that “it was only the leaders who were bought, while the supporters were still intact with the Congress”.
Pala came down heavily on the MLAs who deserted the party. He said, “When they joined the TMC, they thought that within the TMC, they will enjoy the ‘milk and honey’ of the party, but they later found out that there was no milk, honey and nor any water. Then they jumped ship to other political parties – BJP, UDP, NPP”.
Without revealing any names, the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief claimed that some leaders have felt regret and wish to come back to the Congress. But the party has already replaced them with better candidates, Pala said.
The MPCC president said he received feedback on the party’s performance in Garo Hills, and expressed optimism that the Congress has high hopes of returning back to power as many of the candidates from the Khasi Hills region are in the race to win the elections.
Pala sough the vote support from the public for Congress candidate Victorealness Syiemlieh from Ranikor. Speaking to the gathering, he said Syiemlieh is the lone female candidate from West and South West Khasi Hills, while also stating that she will be inducted as a minister if the Congress forms the government next year.
The Ranikor Block Congress Committee (RBCC) and the South West Khasi Hills District Congress Committee felicitated Syiemlieh on the day.