NPP’s ‘soft’ stance against Banteidor irks Cong leader

SHILLONG, Jan 4: Around 15 days have passed since Cabinet Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh made a startling allegation that NPP offered him Rs 5 crore to join their party. The statement caught the attention of many political leaders and even Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, who is the party supremo.
But the NPP national president denied the claims, and since then the matter has remained dormant.
However, on Wednesday, former minister and Congress leader JA Lyngdoh cast aspersions on the NPP for taking a soft stance against PDF leader Banteidor Lyngdoh despite the charges against the party being serious in nature.
Speaking to media persons here on Wednesday, JA Lyngdoh said that the NPP’s response that they were unaware of such offers was soft.
According to him, the NPP should have asked Banteidor to apologise or resign from the Cabinet post if his claims were false.
Earlier, he claimed that the talk of the town is that the MDA Government should not return to power. “People are fed up of NPP and BJP and the only alternative is the Congress,” Lyngdoh said.
It may be recalled that Banteidor Lyngdoh, after the staggering disclosure, had said that he decided to reject the offer since he was firm on his decision to remain with the PDF and contest the upcoming 2023 Assembly polls from the party.
Conrad, after rubbishing the claims of cash lure, had said that he was unaware of it, and according to him, it is “factually incorrect”.