SHILLONG: A day after Opposition leader Mukul Sangma claimed that the NPP-led coalition government would collapse anytime, the ruling National People’s Party and its ally United Democratic Party have denied any threat to the government.
NPP state president WR Kharlukhi said Mukul Sangma “is confused, shaky and not sure of retaining himself as the CLP leader and this is the reason why he is making such statements to keep his MLAs together”.
Recalling the political situation in the state in 1993, Kharlukhi said Salseng Marak was elected as chief minister then and in 1998 he was re-elected as CLP leader and since the Congress was the single largest party, they staked claim and they were asked to prove majority in two weeks.
However, according to Kharlukhi, Salseng could not prove the majority and then the BB Lyngdoh government was formed. “After six months, the Congress MLAs became restless and Salseng was changed as the CLP leader,” he added.
Maintaining that the Congress does not have the number to form the government or else they would have staked claim to form the government after Ampati by-election, Kharlukhi wondered how there can be poaching of Congress MLAs when Zenith Sangma himself claimed that the Congress is intact.
Meanwhile, UDP leader Allan Dkhar said the statement of Mukul Sangma is an entitlement, which he enjoys as a part of his dream and there is no truth in such statement. He added that the coalition is intact and it is gaining strength with each passing day even as he denied any threats for the coalition from the government.
Mukul had accused BJP and its ally NPP of poaching Congress MLAs.
