The Congress is putting out mixed messages as to the five MLAs it suspended for supporting the state government but at least one of them, Ampareen Lyngdoh, is not too bothered.
Recently, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president and Shillong MP Vincent Pala said that the five suspended legislators would be welcomed back but would not be allowed to contest next year’s state elections. This contradicts what MPCC working president Pynshngain Syiem said earlier, namely that they would be welcomed back fully if they decided to abide by the party’s writ.
East Shillong MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh is rumoured to be strongly considering a move to the National People’s Party, like her husband and sister have already done. However, publicly, she still says that she is sounding out her constituents as to what path she should take.
“It makes no sense that one day the working president says that the suspended MLAs are welcome to come back to the party and the other day the president of the party says that no suspended MLAs and deserters will be given party tickets for the 2023 election,” Lyngdoh told Highland Post. “While their (Congress’) confusion persists, we will try to consolidate the service to the public and prepare for the election. Now they have made it clear that they don’t want our services. We are okay with that.”
Informing that many political parties have approached her to join them, she said, “I’m humbled and feel privileged by this but I’m not in a hurry because now I am going door to door to my constituents and they will show me the way forward.”
She will likely take a call on her party affiliation by the end of October or early November. The election has to be held by March 2023.
When asked about the competition that she will likely face in the polls, including from some new faces, Lyngdoh, who was first elected to the Assembly in 2008 and has won every election since, sounded confident. “I will prepare for it with all sincerity. I will work hard to ensure that I will be able to retain my seat with the blessing of the people,” she said.
Incredibly, she said that she was “disappointed” at being suspended from the Congress, even though it must have been expected that the party would not look too kindly on the support given by her and the other four Congress MLAs to the government.
