SHILLONG, July 14: Senior Congress leader, Ronnie V Lyngdoh said the party was ready to face the consequences of deciding to work with the National People’s Party in the KHADC.
He declined to attribute former Congress MP Vincent H Pala’s defeat in the Lok Sabha polls to that decision.
“If this was the reason, how does one explain the NPP’s poor show in the backyard of Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong?” he asked.
Lyngdoh said the people gave Congress 15 years to represent the Shillong parliamentary seat. “They wanted to give the VPP a chance this time,” he said.
Asked if there is pressure on Congress to pull out from the NPP-led Executive Committee in the KHADC, he said the decision to work with the NPP was to avoid the imposition of the Administrator’s Rule.
He, however, said the party has acknowledged the decision will be detrimental to the indigenous people of the state since the proposed amendment of the Sixth Schedule is still pending in Parliament.
“Who will give the inputs on the proposed amendments in case the MHA wants the council’s views and suggestions?” Lyngdoh, also the Congress Legislature Party leader, said.
According to him, Congress was ready to bear the consequences of taking this decision.
“We took the stand as we are not in the government but ready to pay the price for that,” Lyngdoh said.
He said the state party leaders consulted with the AICC, which initially opposed the move.
“The AICC agreed after we explained that this decision will benefit the people in the long run. We do not do anything based on populism. It was constructive decision,” he said.
The senior Congress leader further stated that they expect the proposed amendment to be tabled in the upcoming parliament session.
‘Leader of Opposition not soft on ruling NPP’
The opposition Congress on Sunday vouched for Lyngdoh’s impartiality and asserted he is not soft on the ruling MDA.
“He has issued some statements but that does not mean he is pro-NPP,” the party’s working president, Deborah Marak said.
Asked about a possible rift in the party over the move to take some Congress turncoats back, she said: “This is a sensitive issue and a decision will be taken collectively at the party level.”
She insisted Lyngdoh’s statements on the Congress door being open for deserters to return were at a personal level. She also rubbished reports of ex-Congress leaders and MLAs trying to return to the party.
“As the working president, I know there is no feedback, discussion, or telephonic call over this issue. It is only a speculation,” she said.
