The state Congress’ decision to give qualified support to the Meghalaya government on certain issues is being misinterpreted in order to tarnish the party’s image, Congress leader Ampareen Lyngdoh told Highland Post today.
On Friday the Congress, reduced to a rump of five MLAs after the defection of 12 to the Trinamool Congress, did an about-face and pledged its support to the government on things like the Inner Line Permit (ILP) and the state’s border dispute with Assam.
The next day, TMC leader and former Congressman, Dr Mukul Sangma, attacked his old party for its “betrayal”.
Today, Ampareen reinforced the Congress’ opposition credentials and said that the defectors, who the Congress want disqualified from the Assembly, “cannot claim that they are the opposition.”
“If the opposition has taken a stand to collaborate on certain important issues in the interest of the people then who are the TMC members to decide that we are part of the MDA (Meghalaya Democratic Alliance)?” the East Shillong MLA questioned.
In working with the government, the Congress still wants to put distance between itself and its arch-foe, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). As the Hindu nationalist party only has two legislators in the Assembly, Ampareen said that it is easy to ignore the BJP, which is “irrelevant and of no consequence.”
She further clarified that the Congress members met Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Friday and offered conditional support and willingness to work with the government on issues such as welfare schemes, housing, etc.
“We met Conrad on MHIS (Megha Health Insurance Scheme), which continues to inadequately address the needs of the underprivileged requiring critical health assistance and the road infrastructure, where urgent connectivity is also required in constituencies represented by the Congress.”
She said that the Congress will also discuss the inter-state border with the National People’s Party and United Democratic Party and other state parties to protect the interests of the indigenous communities who have suffered enough in the last 50 years.
“We would rather be part of this dialogue, rather than focusing on political differences which have caused irreversible damage to our approach on border talks with Assam,” she said, adding that the hostile relationship of the Congress with the government for four years has kept the opposition force in the dark.
