By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 6: Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee working president, PN Syiem does not subscribe to the move to dislodge MPCC chief, Vincent H Pala from his position just because he shares a good relation with the NPP leadership.
“There is no merit and justification in the move to dislodge Pala on a flimsy ground. I don’t think the closeness of Pala with the NPP leaders can be a ground to remove him as long as the interest and ideology of the party is not affected,” Syiem told reporters on Tuesday.
He said that the State Congress leaders should take a collective responsibility for the party’s defeat in the Shillong Parliamentary seat.
According to him, they cannot pin all the blame on Pala since the party managed a convincing win in the Tura seat.
Reminded that Pala’s tenure was coming to an end shortly, Syiem said, “I am not sure when the AICC appointed Pala as the MPCC president. But if his term is ending then the AICC will take a call on the new MPCC chief.”
It may be mentioned that there are murmurs about a move by a section of senior Congress leaders to “oust” Pala from the post. They are said to be not happy about his proximity to the leaders of ruling NPP.
One of them said Pala’s closeness to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma is no longer a secret. He said it increased after Pala’s defeat in the last Lok Sabha elections in the Shillong seat.
According to the Congress leaders, Pala is no longer showing any interest in the affairs of the party. They said he will be mostly in Delhi as he is focusing more on his business venture.
“The Congress is the only party that can take on the VPP in the upcoming Autonomous District Council elections and maybe, Assembly polls in 2028,” a Congress leader said.