Shillong, Oct 1: Senior Congress leader, Charles Pyngrope said he is too old to leave the Congress.
“I am still too young to leave politics but I am too old to leave the Congress party,” Pyngrope told reporters on Friday.
He was reacting to Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, Mukul Sangma’s purported move to desert the party along with 12 MLAs and join the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Pyngrope said even if all the Congress MLAs decide on defecting to any other party, he will not mind sitting in the Opposition. He indicated that there is infighting in the Congress but said, “I don’t think we have reached a situation to split the party.”
He said the party’s state leaders had been urging the central leadership since 2018 to elect a new president.
“However, our demand was not met with for a long time. I am happy the central leadership elected Shillong MP, Vincent H Pala to that position,” Pyngrope said.
He said Pala’s appointment was a unilateral decision of the central leaders. He said they had decided against holding the election as the situation was not conducive.
“The members of the party are possibly not happy with Pala’s election. But we can always iron out differences. We need to work together with the new president and rebuild the party,” Pyngrope said.
Opposition Chief Whip, Process T Sawkmie said he is in no mood to join the TMC.
“I am not going to associate myself with any new party. I am going to remain in the Congress,” the Mawlai MLA said.
He lamented that his name was being mentioned along with a group of MLAs, allegedly trying to split the party and join the TMC.
