The recent suspension of the membership of two Congress MLAs in the State has raised questions about the fate of the Congress party under the current leadership of Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Vincent Pala.
It may be mentioned that on August 16, the Congress party suspended the membership of Nongstoin MLA Gabriel Wahlang and Mawhati MLA Charles Marngar for six years for “anti party activities” based on reports that the legislators were planning to join the NPP.
It may be noted that both Wahlang and Marngar are also MDCs of the Congress in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council.
The suspension of the two MLAs comes at the time that Congress is in a bad shape with the humiliating defeat in the recent Lok Sabha election in Shillong parliamentary seat when Pala, a three-time MP, was decimated by political debutant Ricky Andrew J. Syngkon of the VPP.
Political observers said that Pala has failed to rejuvenate the party in the State ever since he was appointed as MPCC president on August 25, 2021.
It was under Pala’s leadership that the Congress lost 12 MLAs in November 2021 when former chief minister Dr. Mukul Sangma along with 11 other Congress MLAs resigned from the party and merged with the Trinamool Congress.
Later in February 2022, five remaining Congress MLAs – Ampareen Lyngdoh, Mayralborn Syiem, Mohendro Rapsang, Kimfa Marbaniang and Process T. Sawkmie announced their decision to join the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government in the State.
That Pala himself lost the Assembly elections in 2023 from Sutnga-Saipung constituency to a political newbie Santa Mary Shylla of NPP speaks volume about his lack of popularity.
Party leaders felt that the Congress high command should seriously examine the downslide of the party in Meghalaya and the lack of leadership quality in Pala.
“He should own up for his failure to hold the MLAs together. Actually, after he himself lost the Assembly poll, he has no moral right to continue as State party president,” a party leader said on condition of anonymity.
Some Congress members said that Pala has more qualities of a businessman than a political leader.
