By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 20: The state Congress is unfazed by the Trinamool Congress extending its support to National People’s Party candidate Ampareen Lyngdoh in the Shillong parliamentary constituency.
The TMC move will help Congress retain the Shillong seat, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee chief and sitting MP Vincent H. Pala told The Shillong Times on Wednesday.
The voters would see through the Shillong-specific “deal” between the two parties that are fighting each other in the Garo Hills for the Tura seat, he said.
“Everyone knows that the TMC leaders are on the verge of joining the BJP along with their workers,” Pala said.
He insisted Congress decided to go solo in both the states toward reviving the party.
“We are doing fair enough and especially in Garo Hills, our candidate is doing very well as many leaders from BJP, NPP, and TMC are joining us,” Pala said, adding that the party will give a good fight to its rivals in both the seats.
Congress and TMC are INDIA bloc partners but failed to reach a consensus for the Tura seat and fielded their candidates.
A few days ago, the Nongthymmai block of the TMC said it would support NPP candidate Ampareen Lyngdoh after the TMC decided not to contest the Shillong seat.
Congress working president Deborah Marak said the party is leaving no stone unturned to snatch the Tura seat from the NPP’s Agatha Sangma on April 19.
The Tura seat has been with the NPP for years with heavyweights like Mukul Sangma and Marak failing to make a mark.
Congress is upbeat about its candidate, Saleng Sangma. The party feels he is strong enough to wrest the Tura seat from the NPP. “We have a very good chance and our party is working hard to ensure his victory,” Marak said.
“We are raising the issues of corruption, price rise, and smuggling along the India-Bangladesh border to reach out to the public,” she said.
Many central leaders of Congress are expected to campaign for their party candidates in Shillong and Tura.