The five Congress MLAs who joined the BJP-backed MDA government without the prior knowledge and approval of the party have decided to reply to the show cause notice issued to them by the party in twelve days.
The five MLAs who have been suspended from the party include Congress Legislature Party leader Ampareen Lyngdoh, Process T. Sawkmie, Mohendro Rapsang and Kimfa Sydney Marbaniang.
Besides suspending them from the membership of the party, the Congress also issued them show cause notices asking them to explain the reason for joining the MDA government without the approval of the party’s high command. They were also asked to reconsider their decision.
The suspension letters as well as the show cause notices were served to the five MLAs yesterday evening and were signed by Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) secretary Wansuk Syiem.
Speaking to media persons here today, Ampareen Lyngdoh said that although the party has given them ten days to reply to the show cause notice, all the five suspended MLAs would submit their reply in twelve days.
“Like every show cause notice of this nature ten days is what is being given to us to reply. We’ll revert back in twelve days,” she said.
According to Lyngdoh, the notice gave them the liberty to reconsider their stand.
“We have been given the liberty to reconsider our stand. We are now looking at all options. We will take the best option and come up with a decision which will be beneficial for all of us individually. Surely we will take the best decision in the best interest of all five of us,” she said.
As per rules, an MLA suspended by any political party will be regarded as the independent member of the Assembly. He/she can vote in the House as and when required and it will be counted and authorised.
Yesterday, the five Congress MLAs met at the MLA Hostel here to discuss their next course of action in view of the decision by the Congress high command to suspend their party membership. It was learnt that during the meeting they have unanimously decided to stick to their decision to be part of the MDA government “come what may”.
The five Congress MLAs gave their letter of support to the MDA government on February 8 leaving the party with no more MLAs in the 60-member Assembly.
Earlier, out of 17 Congress MLAs in the State, twelve including former chief minister Dr. Mukul Sangma, defected to the Trinamool Congress in November last year.
