By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 30: The resignation of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Ronnie V Lyngdoh from the party drew a pointed response from the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Wednesday, with top functionaries slamming what they described as a deepening crisis of political opportunism in the state.
Congress working president Deborah Marak confirmed receipt of Lyngdoh’s resignation letter, which she said cited “consultation with the people of his constituency” as the reason for leaving the party.
She noted that Lyngdoh had resigned from the primary membership of the party and had communicated that the decision was based on appeals from grassroots workers.
Marak stated that the Congress accepted the resignation and appreciated the work he had done during his tenure. “Whatever may be the case, he has taken his decision. We have nothing to say against him,” she said, adding that the reasons behind Lyngdoh’s decision to switch to the NPP were known best to him.
But while Marak struck a restrained tone, Congress general secretary Manuel Badwar minced no words.
He said the party had been actively pursuing the disqualification of three MLAs, and that Ronnie had been the main petitioner in that legal challenge. His sudden exit, Badwar pointed out, had complicated that effort significantly. “We had good grounds to fight. This has made things difficult,” he admitted, but insisted that the party would not back down. “We will pursue it. The law of the land is there.”
Badwar said the Congress had long suspected that Lyngdoh’s commitment was wavering. Right from the MDC elections, he said, there were signs Lyngdoh’s absence in supporting party candidates was noted and troubling. The party had seen this coming for a long time.
“We knew things were not moving in the right direction,” Badwar said.
‘Transactional politics’
What followed was a stinging critique of the political atmosphere in Meghalaya. Badwar alleged that the NPP was engaging in “transactional politics” a style that, in his words, involved buying out elected representatives.
“The law of the land does not prevail… this may be a trick which will make the judiciary a little weaker,” he warned. He described the trend as dangerous, one where self-interest eclipsed ideology, and where elected leaders pursued personal gains rather than the agenda of the party or the welfare of the people.
He lamented that politics in the state had become a domain for wealth and power, while real issues like poverty, health, and education were being ignored. “At the end of the day, are we doing anything for the poor?” he asked, adding that the political class was more interested in football fields and constituency projects than systemic change.
Resurgence hope remains alive
Congress working president Marak, too, acknowledged that the party had seen this kind of setback before. “We had no MLA or MDC in Garo Hills during the last elections. Even then, we retained the Tura Parliamentary seat,” she said. She added that the party remained ready to restructure and rebuild “even without a single MLA.”
Despite the blow, both leaders assured that the party would regroup. “This is a rallying cry for us. The resilience will continue to exist. It is unbreakable,” Badwar said, stressing that genuine leadership must rise from the grassroots. He said the Congress was gaining traction in Garo Hills and that the loss of one leader was an opportunity to begin anew.
Responding to questions on the party’s leadership, Marak denied any crisis. She admitted that Congress was a soft target “to some extent,” given the money and muscle power employed to poach MLAs. “But they are grown-ups. We cannot bind them in democracy,” she added.
Marak also declared that the Congress would not close shop in Meghalaya.
“We thought the same in Garo Hills, yet we got one MP from nothing. It is the power of the people,” she said. She added that the party welcomed anyone who shared its ideology but not those who left for monetary gain.
Mahila Congress disappointed
The Meghalaya Pradesh Mahila Congress has expressed disappointment over the sudden resignation of party MLA Ronnie V Lyngdoh and his decision to join the National People’s Party (NPP).
“This decision comes as a surprise, especially considering Lyngdoh’s consistent and vocal criticism of the NPP and its corrupt practices. Throughout his tenure, Lyngdoh had stood firm against the misgovernance and lack of transparency in the NPP-led government, highlighting issues that impacted the people of Meghalaya at large,” State Mahila Congress president Joplyn Scott Shylla said in a statement.
Recalling how Ronnie once took a strong stance against corruption, she lamented that he has now “aligned himself with the very party he held accountable (for the corruption)”.
“This move raises serious questions about political integrity and the growing trend of opportunism in Meghalaya’s politics.”
Stating that the Congress party will not be deterred by such “betrayals,” Shylla reaffirmed that the party’s fight against injustice, corruption and the misuse of power will continue with renewed determination.