By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 12: Amidst speculation running rife about TMC vice president George B Lyngdoh being wooed by the NPP to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the Trinamool leader on Sunday stated that he is not leaving TMC for another party putting an end to all the guesswork.
“I am with the TMC,” replied George to a query if he is leaving the party for the NPP.
It was learnt that the NPP tried to get Lyngdoh to join its fold and contest the Lok Sabha elections from Shillong seat as an NPP candidate.
Asked to verify on whether the NPP leaders actually approached him, he said, “There were certain discussions unofficially. Other parties were also discussing, even Congress also discusses. As we are talking to other members of other parties, other parties are discussing with us. There is nothing wrong in discussion”.
There were reports that some NPP leaders were keen on bringing Lyngdoh aboard but the possibility was negated after the Dhar brothers advised the party to field Dasakhiatbha Lamare as the candidate for the Shillong seat.
Reacting to this, he said, “There has been no such kind of a move. I don’t know speculations have been very high. I had told the media recently if there is any kind of such deliberations then I would have known”.
Asked about his thoughts on the poaching attempt that is going on, he said, “I won’t say poachers. We also definitely try to expand as a party and create more leaders or bring in leaders acceptable to the people. So other parties will also try to do the same. It is not a recent practice but a practice which has been there since the state was born”.
“The APHLC (All Party Hill Leaders Conference) joining the Congress that is how the state was started and that is nothing new. Most political parties they will not have readymade leaders so they will try to bring in leaders from across party lines. This has been a political practice at the national and the state level. Even here, we have been seeing people going from one party to another,” he added.
He further said, “It all depends on the kind of deliberations individuals have with the respective leadership. I won’t say it is a surprise if leaders talk to leaders of various parties and rope them in”.