Pala to seek re-election from Shillong on Cong ticket

SHILLONG, May 4: Three-time Congress MP Vincent H Pala on Thursday said he will seek his re-election from the Shillong seat in next year’s Lok Sabha polls as a candidate of the grand old party.
“Definitely, I will be fighting from the Congress. Winning or losing is not in my hand,” Pala, who is also Congress’ state president, told reporters, putting to rest speculation that he will contest from another party.
To a query, he said no one dared approach him to ask him to contest on the NPP’s ticket. He said he is not a man who can be easily purchased.
“There is no question of contesting from another party,” he said, adding his personal relationship with the president of every political party triggered the speculation that he will contest on NPP’s ticket.
He said he shares a cordial relationship with Chief Minister and NPP national president Conrad K Sangma, the party’s state chief Dr WR Kharlukhi and BJP state president Ernest Mawrie.
Pala said he had closely studied the ideologies of various parties before joining mainstream politics.
“The ideology of the Congress suits me. I never had any complaint. I have no intention to leave the party unless it rejects or throws me away,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said the outcome of Karnataka Assembly elections will indicate the fate of parties in the next Lok Sabha polls.
“A win for the Congress in the BJP-ruled Karnataka will be a strong indication that people are rejecting the saffron party. Even if the Congress loses by a small margin, it will be an indication that the BJP’s days are numbered,” Pala said.
Talking about the by-election to the Sohiong seat, he said the Congress is working very hard. He said the party cannot afford to hold big rallies and as such, it is concentrating on meetings in pockets and door to door campaign.
He said it is important for the people of Sohiong to know that if the Congress becomes strong, then the minority and indigenous people will be strong.
“If the Congress is weak, then who will defend them? Parties like UDP and NPP are brothers and cousins of the BJP,” Pala said.
He said the association of UDP, NPP and other parties with the BJP means they accepted its ideology and that of the RSS.
Pala said the Sohiong election is important since technically there is no opposition in the Assembly now.
“If we win this seat, then we will have one/tenth of the strength in the House and will be entitled to the post of leader of Opposition,” he said, adding the absence of a strong Opposition is not good in a democracy.