Two out of the five suspended Congress legislators – Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh and Mohendro Rapsang – joined the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) hours after they resigned as members of the Meghalaya assembly on December 19.
Lyngdoh and Rapsang submitted their resignation letter to assembly commissioner and secretary, Andrew Simons at the assembly secretariat in Shillong on December 19 afternoon.
Lyngdoh was a senior Congress legislator representing East Shillong constituency while Rapsang represented West Shillong constituency. These are some of the urban constituencies in the East Khasi Hills district.
“They (Congress) have dismissed us and our opinions about our roles as stakeholders of this great democracy of this country, they have refused to consult with us, they have refused to partner with us,” Ampareen Lyngdoh said.
The former All India Congress Committee Secretary in-charge Mizoram said that she and Rapsang resigned as members of the state assembly as well as from the Congress after due diligence and extensive consultative discussions with various stakeholders.
“By our exit from the Congress, we look forward to partner with several leaders across the state and convinced them let Meghalaya be one, one Meghalaya in the interest of the people post 2023 elections,” Lyngdoh said.
Both the former legislators have joined NPP since they were convinced that it is the only party that can take the state forward. Lyngdoh also resigned from the primary membership of the Congress.
In her letter to AICC president, Mallikarjun Kharge thanking the party for the opportunities given and said: “For the most part of her life, I have been a staunch supporter and foot soldier of the Indian National Congress…However, recent developments within the party have led me to believe that it has lost its sense of direction.”
Stating that the Congress needs to introspect, Lyngdoh added: “Sincere and honest attempts to lead such self-introspection, I believe, have failed.”
With these resignations the effective strength of the present assembly has come down to 55 members with these resignations. This number would come down further with several other members slated to resign ahead of the assembly elections in 2023.
The mind of the other three suspended Congress legislators is yet to be known although there are reports that they would be joining some of the regional parties. The other three suspended MLAs are PT Sawkmie (Mawlai) Kimfa S Marbaniang (Rambrai-Jyrngam) and Mayralborn Syiem (Nongpoh).
Sawkmie and Syiem are expected to join the United Democratic Party, however Marbaniang has kept cards close to his heart.
Meanwhile, December 19’s resignations follow earlier resignations of Himalaya Shangpliang (TMC), Ferlin Sangma and Benedic Marak (NPP.) These legislators have now joined the BJP.
Shangpliang, a former bureaucrat, represents Mawsynram constituency in East Khasi Hills district. Sangma was also a bureaucrat before joining active politics and is a representative from Selsella and Marak from Raksamgre in Garo Hills region.
Another Independent legislator, Samuel Sangma (Baghmara) joined the BJP as an associate member after disassociating from the UDP, although he didn’t resign from the assembly.
