Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong today said that the five Congress MLAs who extended support to the MDA government are still members of Congress.
“Legally speaking, they are still Congress MLAs,” he said.
It may be noted that the Congress has suspended the party membership of Ampareen Lyngdoh, Process T. Sawkmie, Mohendro Rapsang, Kimfa Sydney Marbaniang and Mayral Born Syiem for extending support to the BJP-backed MDA government without the knowledge and consent of the party.
According to Tynsong, who is also in-charge of the Parliamentary Affairs Department, if the five MLAs are expelled from Congress, they will automatically become independent MLAs but they cannot join any other political party.
He also made it clear that since the MLAs are under suspension, the question of their merging with any other party does not arise at this present juncture.
“They are all elected representatives, they know the rules, they know the law. The moment the suspension order came out means they are with Congress and they will not move out from the party and they cannot even merge to any party at this present situation,” he said.
Tynsong also stated that the five Congress MLAs gave their support to the MDA government without any conditions.
Recently there were speculations that the five Congress legislators may join the ruling NPP ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections.
