State Congress president Vincent Pala took overall responsibility for the triple defeat experienced by the party in the three by-elections held at the end of last month but blamed defections of key leaders, splurging of money by opposing parties and use of the police to instil fear in the electorate as issues that went against the Congress.
Pala said that one or two Congress leaders from Garo Hills could well add to the party’s defection woes but he would not elaborate on who these could be. This comes in the wake of renewed speculation that Dr Mukul Sangma, the leader of the opposition and former Chief Minister, could quit in favour of the Trinamool Congress. However, if Dr Sangma heads for the door, he could take several MLAs with him; considering his family alone, his wife, daughter and brother are all legislators.
Pala did not put place too much emphasis on the possibility of further defections – “when some leave, others also join” – but he was critical of those who left the Congress tent before the by-elections.
“Our own MDCs contested as rebel candidates,” he moaned. “Had they not, we would have won the by-polls. But, on the other hand, our vote share increased compared to the NPP (National People’s Party) and UDP (United Democratic Party). When you consider all this analysis, the public are with the Congress.”
According to him, the defectors were lured away by other parties with “temptations” in some form or the other.
Supporting Pala, Congress MDC Pynshngain N Syiem said, “Many things can change in this one year and a few months (before the next state election). In Meghalaya, Congress is the only alternative in 2023 for the people.”
Congress had held both Rajabala and Mawryngkneng before their MLAs passed away but lost both seats went to the NPP.
Pala, the sitting Shillong MP, also admitted that the party’s candidates were unable to connect with the populace, at least in the case of Mawryngkneng where, he said, the Congress was unable to unite the supporters of Highlander Kharmalki (the party candidate) with those of David Nongrum, the late legislator there.
He also accused the government of misusing its power after the clash that erupted on the last day of campaigning in Rajabala. Although supporters of both parties were involved in the clashes, only those of the Congress were arrested, Pala claimed, and this put fear into the hearts of the population.
“The government misused its power. They arrested more than 170 workers and harassed them and beat them and put them in jail. The people were scared. They harassed only our workers and not those of the other party,” he alleged.
Also present today were the Congress challengers for Mawphlang (Kennedy C Khyriem) and Mawryngkneng (Kharmalki).
Khyriem, who faced a Eugeneson Lyngdoh, a candidate with immense star power and who was able to capitalise on more of a sympathy vote more than those of the other two seats as his father, the incumbent, had passed away more recently, said that the Congress is already working hard for 2023.
Meanwhile, Kharmalki said he felt encouraged by increasing his share of the vote markedly from when he contested against Nongrum in 2018.
The state Congress will now give an account of its performance at a meeting with the high command in New Delhi on November 18.
