KHNAM vice-president Thomas Passah is ready to draw a line under the constant infighting within the regional party now that it appears that North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum is set on quitting the outfit.
Nongrum is KHNAM’s only legislator and the party has been overshadowed in recent years by other regional parties. It is often only in the headlines because of the infighting between Nongrum and Pyndapborthiaw Saibon, both of whom claim to be KHNAM president.
On Sunday, Nongrum revealed that he is looking to contest next year’s state elections from another party, though he declined to say which.
“How can Nongrum say that he is tired of the rumblings (in the party) when he is part and parcel of the rumblings and he is not a third party,” Passah, who is in Saibon’s camp, told Highland Post.
Recently, both sides appeared to be making some headway in resolving their differences.
“We had three rounds of meetings with Nongrum and, on the third meeting, everything was resolved – he agreed to step down as president and we will write to the ECI (Election Commission of India) and he will contest the 2023 election on a KHNAM ticket but the latest development has come suddenly,” Passah explained.
He added that KHNAM will not lose hope and will still field candidates in 2023.
Recalling that a dispute in KHNAM arose in 2012 during the time of Paul Lyngdoh (now with the United Democratic Party) and then another arose in 2019, he opined that the problem is not having too many leaders but leaders who won on the party ticket not wanting to listen to other party workers and having no regard for them.
