Cosmos Sangma
Shillong, Aug 20: Term it vengeance or settling of scores for the Tura Lok Sabha debacle, but a “surgical strike” by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, whisking away three opposition legislators from under the nose of the grand old party, has left the Congress “stunned” and “speechless”.
It has given the NPP the much sought after number of 31- a clear majority in the assembly for the first time in the party’s history.
The Congress, the biggest political player in Meghalaya politics for fifty long years, has been pushed to its lowest ever position- a lone sitting MLA in the form of Ronnie V Lyngdoh.
Three Congress legislators, namely Dr Celestine Lyngdoh of Umsning, Charles Marngar of Mawhati and Gabriel Wahlang of Nongstoin constituency, walked out of the Congress to join the ruling NPP, on a day the opposition party had tried every page in the book to halt, or at least stall, their departure.
The Congress had suspended two of the MLAs, Charles and Gabriel, to block the defection and spared Celestine in the hope the rebel duo would fall under the anti-defection law.
But their “preventive” action fell through after Celestine joined the two suspended comrades and met with Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma to show that it was a two-thirds shift (3 out of 4 elected MLAs) and deserved to be recognized. The speaker’s decision to quickly accept the rebels’ petition sealed the fate of the Congress.
“This has given a boost to the party, and more importantly, it has reinforced our commitment to serving our people and taking our state forward,” said the chief minister as he recalled the humble beginnings of the NPP that was formed by his late father P A Sangma.
The chief minister dismissed speculations of conflict among alliance parties sharing power with his party, now that the NPP alone has a clear majority in the assembly.
“There are two aspects- one at party and the other at government level. We have been very clear, including the MLAs themselves that they are not coming into the party for any personal gains or positions. There are no conditions,” said the chief minister.
Conrad Sangma also dismissed talk of a cabinet reshuffle in the light of the latest developments where the numbers of the NPP has swelled to 31.
Opposition’s back against the wall
While the opposition Congress turned overnight into being a solo performer in the state assembly, for arch rivals NPP it was celebration time.
The political gamble by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to break the opposition numbers has placed it in a formidable position to take on the opposition, whose numbers have been falling drastically.
The opposition now comprises just a handful of legislators, including the VPP with four MLAs, five Trinamool Congress MLAs and the lone Congress legislator Ronnie V Lyngdoh.
Eye on Gambegre by-poll
As the by-elections for Gambegre constituency draws near, the ruling NPP needed a strike to rise from the defeat in the recent Lok Sabha polls when it lost to the VPP in Shillong and the Congress in Tura.
Today’s vanquishing of the Congress and attaining single party majority for the NPP would act as an elixir for Conrad Sangma’s party supporters and workers, believe many party leaders.
The effects of the potion will be felt when Gambegre is counted.
