SHILLONG, Feb 17: Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Prestone Tynsong on Thursday said the five suspended Congress MLAs will be on the ruling side during the Budget session of the Assembly beginning March 4.
He told reporters that they are still with the Congress legally. It would have been a different issue had they been expelled from the party, he added.
The Minister said the five of them, if expelled from the party, will be considered as independent MLAs and they can also join any other political party.
Stating that the state government needs these legislators who are “constructive and productive”, Tynsong said they had extended their support to the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government without any conditions.
He refused to divulge any information on whether they will join the National People’s Party. He said they have not yet shown any interest in joining the ruling party. He recalled his statement that these MLAs should jump out of the sinking Congress ship.
Tynsong said the MDA was formed with different political parties and the arrangement will continue till the end of the present term.
To a query, the Minister said Congress leader Ampareen Lyngdoh’s decision to support the government has nothing to do with the case pending against her pertaining to the alleged scam in the Education department. He said that is a different issue.
Tynsong said the government has seriously taken up some sensitive issues such as Harijan Colony and Assam-Meghalaya boundary dispute. The five Congress MLAs were impressed with the performance of the government and hence, decided to give their unconditional support to it, he added.
