Shillong, Aug 31: Congress President Vincent H Pala has said the National People’s Party (NPP) led by Conrad K Sangma has betrayed the people of Meghalaya and does not dare to oppose the BJP on the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and other bills.
The former MP, who will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha bye-election, was speaking at the launch of his campaign from his native village Lamyrsiang in East Jaintia Hills on Monday.
“There is no need to waste time on small parties. BJP has only 37 per cent votes, other parties together have 63 per cent. People are fed up with BJP,” he said, claiming NPP will collapse before 2028 as many leaders want to quit.
Pala accused the BJP-RSS of trying to end reservation and ST status and pushing bills like One Nation One Election and anti-conversion laws. He said schools, hospitals and churches would have been seized under FCRA if Congress had not opposed it in Parliament.
He said Meghalaya’s debt has touched Rs 26,000 crore against a budget of Rs 29,000 crore due to loan-funded roads, adding that this is due to excessive shortfall in the state government’s revenue collection.
Pala also claimed credit for bringing NEHU, NEIGRIHMS and IIM to the state and for leading the demand for recognition of Khasi language in Parliament along with Prof David Syiemlieh.
