MPCC to take legal action against three turncoats
SHILLONG, Aug 22: Left in utter disarray after the defection of its three MLAs to the ruling National People’s Party, the Congress has decided to take legal action against the trio with possible pulling out of the NPP-led coalition in KHADC.
Voices are being raised within the Congress rank and file to withdraw from the Khasi Hills Democratic Front (KHDF), the ruling alliance of the NPP and the Congress in the KHADC, formed last year.
The decisions were arrived at during an emergency meeting of the party here on Thursday attended by Congress block and unit leaders.
MPCC president, Vincent H Pala disclosed that party leaders want the Congress MDCs to immediately withdraw from the NPP-led EC in the KHADC.
He, however, sought time saying the decision cannot be taken alone by the party and it has to be done in consultation with the MDCs.
“The mood of the leaders and workers is that we should go alone in the district council elections and they are not at all happy with the NPP and also feel that we should withdraw support to the NPP in the KHADC,” Pala said.
According to Pala, the relationship between BJP and NPP is growing stronger day by day even as he added that they had worked with NPP in KHADC with the sole intention of giving its views on the amendment of the Sixth Schedule.
“We decided to work together just to have a say in the amendment of the Sixth Schedule but NPP has taken away our people and is trying to destroy us here,” Pala added.
Asserting that the party will file a case against the three defectors, for which consultations with lawyers are on, he said that the same tactic has been applied by BJP in several states where Congress is ruling and here in Meghalaya, NPP is being tutored by BJP to wipe out Congress in Meghalaya.
He recalled that when he was in the U.S., there was huge pressure on him to suspend the three legislators – Celestine Lyngdoh (Umsning), Charles Marngar (Mawhati) and Gabriel Wahlang (Nongstoin) – but he wanted to hold a meeting with them first and hence they were invited to come for discussions.
Only Celestine appeared before the party and informed that he will intimate the party about his decision whether he will be joining NPP or not.
“We did not suspend him,” Pala said while making it clear that the suspension orders for the other two MLAs were issued by AICC and MPCC only gave its views and suggestions on the matter.