The Congress Party will be all smiles following the 2023 state elections as it should return to power with at least 45 seats, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) secretary and sitting MDC Bajop Pyngrope has told Highland Post.
“The Congress is a big and happy party and, under the combined leadership of (MPCC president) Vincent Pala and (leader of the opposition) Dr Mukul Sangma we will win more than 45 seats in 2023,” he said.
With regards to the recent statement made by BJP national council member Bashailang Khongwir that the Congress will never again hold the reins, Pyngrope reminded the saffron party that 50 of its candidates lost their security deposit in the 2018 elections and only two MLAs were elected on BJP tickets.
Stating that the people of Meghalaya will never accept the BJP party in the state, he added, “At the end of the day, the BJP will have to play their dirty game like in 2018 by pumping money for the National People’s Party and be in partnership with the regional parties under the North East Democratic Alliance.”
Rival outfits have targeted the Congress more since the election of Pala as new state president.
Further comments were made against the party by the UDP’s Lahkmen Rymbui, who said that the Congress is divided under the new leadership, and Sniawbhalang Dhar, who said that another five MLAs of the grand old party want to quit. Both Rymbui and Dhar are former Congressmen.
In response, Pyngrope said that whatever issues the party has, the Congress is still better structured and more experienced than the regional parties, of which there are several operating in Meghalaya because they lack unity.
“Had there been Congress members leaving the party or saying that they are not happy as soon as Pala took over, then such comments made by Rymbui would be justified,” Pyngrope said, adding that Dhar would probably be too scared of losing to contest in his current seat in Nartiang.
He also said that, under MDA rule, there is complete law and order degradation and people no longer feel like they are under democracy but a dictatorship that keeps banning the internet and using all sorts of tactics to suppress the voice of the people and their democratic rights.
