Syiem denies joining Congress; grand old party keeps mum
NONGPOH, Jan 3: With the elections to the autonomous district councils (ADCs) in Meghalaya fast approaching, a major political shift has come to pass in the Umroi Constituency People’s Forum (UCPF). MD Syiem, the working president of UCPF and a contender for its ticket to contest from the Umroi constituency, abruptly resigned from the Forum on Friday and reportedly joined the Congress party during a meeting at Umroi Umdohbyrthih village.
On being informed about the meeting by the Ri Bhoi District Congress Committee, media persons arrived at the scene only to be requested by Syiem and a few leaders not to report on the political developments.
This was later confirmed by Pynshngain N. Syiem, working president of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), before MD Syiem’s formal joining event.
The meeting was attended by prominent Congress leaders, including Pynshngain N. Syiem, MDC of Mawkhar-Pynthorumkhrah; MG Kharshanlor, president of the Ri Bhoi District Congress Committee; Rocky A. Marwein, Congress MDC candidate from Umsning; Lawrence Nongrum, Congress MDC candidate from Nongpoh; and several UCPF members led by MD Syiem.
Despite their presence, the Congress leadership refrained from making official announcements at the request of the new members.
The UCPF, formed on December 9, 2024, after the dissolution of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Umroi and other regions, had positioned itself as an independent platform for the upcoming ADC elections.
The leaders of the UCPF had declared that their candidates would be selected based on public consultations.
Sources revealed that MD Syiem, who had unsuccessfully contested the ADC elections in 2014 and 2019, managed to secure tickets from both the UCPF and Congress for the upcoming elections, a first in the state’s political history.
According to some UCPF leaders, four individuals—former Umroi MLA George B. Lyngdoh, MD Syiem, John Syiemiong and Iaishah Rymbai—had applied for the UCPF ticket.
Public consultations revealed overwhelming support for George B. Lyngdoh, but MD Syiem allegedly threatened to sabotage the Forum if denied a ticket.
To avoid internal conflicts, George B. Lyngdoh withdrew his candidacy, enabling MD Syiem to secure the UCPF ticket. However, Congress leaders later convinced him to contest under their banner, leading to his resignation from UCPF and alignment with the Congress party.
Some UCPF members accused MD Syiem of collaborating with the National People’s Party (NPP) since the 2023 Assembly elections. They alleged that his actions against George B. Lyngdoh were orchestrated by influential figures within the NPP and Congress.
When contacted, MD Syiem denied joining the Congress party, adding to the uncertainty surrounding his political moves.