Shillong, Feb 10: HSPDP leader and cabinet minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar has opined that the five Congress MLAs’ support to the MDA government is a likely indicator that they will switch to other parties before the 2023 Meghalaya Assembly election.
“I truly believe that the plan is for the next election. If I am not wrong they may not contest from the Congress in 2023,” Tongkhar said here on Thursday when asked about his viewpoint on the recent support extended by the Congress MLAs to the MDA government.
At the same time, he also lauded the leadership of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, under whom more and more leaders are coming forward to join the MDA government.
“I am happy that we get more and more MLAs into our group and I truly believe in the wisdom of the chief minister who had attracted others to also join the MDA government,” he said.
Stating that accepting the Congress to be part of the MDA government will not affect the relationship among the coalition partners, Tongkhar said, “He (CM) understands that we are there at the times of need so I don’t think it will affect any parties since now we are approaching the end of the term and we have worked so hard in the last four years to cooperate and coordinate with all the partners so I truly believe it will not affect us as we will continue to work together till the end of the term even though others (are) joining the MDA.”
Congress and BJP working together
The HSPDP leader also stated that it is surprising to the people that Congress and BJP are together in MDA government, and also an indication that Congress has been reduced to zero.
“As I said from before that their plan is 2023. I am sure BJP also understands and they know that the Congress coming to join MDA, it is just showing that Congress has been reduced to zero. So we know the target of the BJP is to wipe out the Congress from the country… we know BJP will be happy to see that Congress is wiped out,” he said.
He, however, added that it may not be possible for the BJP and the Congress to work together had the MDA government been led by the saffron party.
