Shillong, Jan 31: Congress chief Vincent H Pala on Tuesday said the decision of former Dadenggre legislator Augustine D Marak to join the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) will not affect the party in the upcoming elections.

Pala told reporters that the party already knew one week ago that Marak would join the AITC as he had held a series of meetings with its leader Mukul Sangma.

“But it is not fair on my part to take action since he himself had surrendered,” he said. Pala said that Marak in his resignation had cited his health is not good but today he was warmly welcomed in the AITC.

He said that Marak has exposed himself that he does not have ethics, principles and ideology.

“I don’t blame him, he is much senior to us but what I could say is that he has lost his own trust. He does not trust himself whether he will win or lose. He does not have the confidence of winning that’s why he surrendered,” he said.

Stating that his resignation will not affect the party, Pala said, “We already have a substitute. We are prepared. We have somebody who used to work with various NGOs and religious group and his name has been sent to Delhi for approval.”