Shillong: The ruling National People’s Party (NPP) on Wednesday asked the Congress legislators to jump out of the “sinking Congress ship” and join the ruling or some regional parties.
“The Congress is a sinking ship. I request all Congress leaders to either join NPP or UDP before the ship sinks please jump to the other ship and save yourselves from drowning,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said.
Tynsong made the statement after the Congress couldn’t retain the seats, during the recently concluded by-elections after it won during the 2018 Assembly elections. The Congress lost Rajabala and Mawrygnkneng assembly seats to the NPP.
“The mandate of the people in the just concluded by-election is very clear that they no longer have faith in the Congress,” Tynsong, who is also the national Vice-President of NPP, said.
When asked if the NPP would approach the Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma and Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president, Vincent H Pala to join its fold, Tynsong said he would rather leave it to the senior Congress leaders to make a wise choice.
However, State Congress Working President and Congress legislator, Dr Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh said that she would rather sit in the opposition than join the NPP or any other regional party.
“I for one would sit tall in the opposition than just be blinded by this ruthless politics. I would appeal to the public not to fall prey to such statements,” Lyngdoh said. added.
She further added, “I don’t know about other people but I will find a lifeboat and will not allow my conscience to be sucked in the dirty politics that is played around us.”
On the infighting within the Congress, Lyngdoh said, everyone, is living in an “era of the push and pull of politics.” She said that everyone needs to remain stable.
“I am not afraid when we come back, but we will wait for our turn,” Lyngdoh said.
