By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 28: The Congress on Thursday petitioned Assembly Speaker Thomas Sangma seeking the disqualification of its four MLAs who joined the National People’s Party.
The Congress said any decision by the Speaker against the appeal will be challenged in the High Court of Meghalaya.
The four legislators named in the petition are Ronnie V. Lyngdoh, Celestine Lyngdoh, Gabriel Wahlang and Charles Marngar. The petition was submitted to Assembly Commissioner and Secretary Andrew Simons.
Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee secretary Manuel Badwar said, “We had come to resubmit the petition. It started off when the first three MLAs left. It is not legal.”
Pointing out that two MLAs had jumped ship first, followed by another 48 hours later, he said in both cases the clause of 66 per cent or two-thirds majority was not fulfilled. He added that this is the reason why the Congress took up this fight.
He clarified that the party’s action was not motivated by revenge.
“We are not fighting out of vengeance or vindication but to ensure that the law of the land prevails. Now, since Bah Ronnie – the previous petitioner of the case – has left us, it will only make sense that we file the entire petition again. It is a cascading effect — one MLA, then the second, the third, and the fourth.”
Badwar stressed that the defections were a blow to democratic principles. “We are doing this because we feel democracy is at risk. Whatever they are doing is definitely against the Constitution of the country and it is important for us to put up a fight.”
“We have to show the world and the people at large that MLAs must not take any party for a ride. It is a democratic process and the Constitution should prevail. We believe we have a very strong case and we will win,” he added.
The Congress leader admitted that the defection of the previous petitioner had caused setbacks. “We will have to start all over again because the MLA who had filed the petition has left the Congress. Therefore, whatever progress we made up to that level has been taken back,” Badwar said.
“We are not definitely going to let it pass. We are not doing it for the party but for the public, the Constitution and the democracy. I am the petitioner,” he said.
To a query, he said, “I don’t think the Speaker will take a decision against this appeal because he will be wrong in his assessment. I don’t think the Speaker is of that caliber of not to understand the weight that we have put into this case. But if that happens, then we will have to fight and the next course is the High Court.”