Former minister John Anthony Lyngdoh today said that the present MDA government has to go because of its huge corruption.
One month after he left the BJP, Lyngdoh formally joined the Congress party along with several of his supporters from North Shillong constituency.
Lyngdoh was welcomed into the Congress by party working presidents Pynshngainlang Syiem and Deborah Marak besides other party leaders at a programme held in the Congress Bhavan here.
Speaking to media persons after joining the Congress, Lyngdoh said people of the State are waiting for the election to come soon as they could no longer tolerate the corruption in the MDA government.
“This government has to go. Dwar Ksuid bridge collapse, ISBT building leakage, Assembly dome collapse, casino, illegal transportation of coal are some of the examples of the massive corruption in this government. People wanted the election to come soon so that they can punish the parties that are in this government,” he said.
On his decision to join the Congress, Lyngdoh said that as a politician who has been an MLA for 15 years, he saw that Congress is the only party that can bring changes in the State.
Earlier, Syiem while welcoming Lyngdoh to the party said that the majority of people in the State are now fed up with the NPP-led MDA government because of corruption and price rise.
“In order to restore good governance the people of the State should elect real leaders not contractors, coal barons or businessmen,” he added.
It may be mentioned that Lyngdoh resigned from the BJP on September 6. He was among the four aspirants for BJP ticket from North Shillong constituency for the 2023 polls. The others are former IPS officer Mariahom Kharkrang, former MDC Martamlin Pyrbot and Michael Kharsyntiew.
In his resignation letter, Lyngdoh accused party president Earnest Mawrie of sidelining and ostracising him for the past four and a half years. He also said that Mawrie tried to deny him party ticket for the 2023 polls
It may be noted that Lyngdoh joined the BJP in 2016. He contested the 2018 Assembly elections from North Shillong constituency but lost to Adelbert Nongrum of KHNAM by a narrow margin of 406 votes.