Cong banks on ‘big names’ boost for polls

SHILLONG, Jan 13: Abandoned by all its MLAs, the state Congress is targeting some “important leaders” from other parties for staging a comeback in Meghalaya.
“In the next few days, it won’t be surprising if certain important leaders join the Congress party. Discussions have taken place and the manner in which preparations have been made, I am confident we will be able to regain the confidence of the people,” AICC senior observer for Meghalaya, Mukul Wasnik said on Friday.
He is in town along with other Congress observers to hold dialogues with party leaders on poll preparedness.
“All of us have come to discuss with the Pradesh Congress Committee’s district block presidents and our probable candidates about the preparations for the Assembly elections,” he said after a meeting with the party leaders and probable candidates.
Wasnik claimed the party is fully prepared for the elections, the dates of which will be announced in a few days.
“The PCC has recommended names for 45 constituencies to the AICC and the candidates for the remaining 15 seats will be announced soon,” he said.
On the MLAs who left the party, Wasnik said: “Many of our colleagues who held important positions have left the party but we have been able to build the organisation with our existing cadres to face the elections effectively.”
He insisted fielding rookies in many constituencies would not be a drawback for Congress. “The party’s vision, its performance in the past and other factors matter as much as the candidates,” he said.