Congress annoyed by frequent ‘poaching’ of its MLAs & leaders
SHILLONG, Aug 18: Annoyed with the frequent poaching of its MLAs and party functionaries, the state Congress may take legal action against the National People’s Party (NPP).
Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Vincent H Pala told The Shillong Times on Sunday that the NPP is implementing ally BJP’s strategy of breaking other political parties. “The BJP is poaching leaders of other parties in Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh. The NPP is trying to do the same thing here as people have rejected them,” he said, adding that the desperate NPP and the saffron party are leaving no stone unturned to buy people with their “illegal” money.
Pala said he will visit New Delhi in a couple of days to discuss the pros and cons of taking the NPP to court with the legal team of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). “We will not let the NPP go scot-free and make them run from pillar to post,” he said, accusing the party of making money by fleecing the state’s people.
Pala’s threat of legal action followed the suspension of two Congress MLAs – Gabriel Wahlang and Charles Marngar – for six years. They were suspended for “anti-party activities” after reports said they planned to join the NPP.
The MPCC chief said the AICC suspended the duo based on his report. He added that Congress suffered in the two Assembly constituencies they represent as they were working with the NPP at the district council level.
“Our party workers are happy and the suspension was a cleaning-up of the system,” he said, claiming the two MLAs were overtly critical of the NPP but working with the Conrad K Sangma-led party in the KHADC.
Their political future hanging in balance
The political future of the two Congress MLAs now remains hanging in the balance following their suspension from the party.
The state’s political circles have largely remained silent on the suspension, but sources within the Congress suggest that if the duo decides to join another party, they should face disqualification. Furthermore, Congress insiders argue that both Marngar and Wahlang should resign from their current positions and seek a fresh mandate if they are indeed planning to switch allegiances.
Party insiders also referenced the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which underscores the importance of political parties in the electoral process. According to them, a political party presents itself to the electorate with a specific agenda and fields candidates based on that program. As such, any MLA seeking to join a new party should first return to the voters for approval.