SHILLONG, FEB 28: Congress legislature party (CLP) leader Ronnie V Lyngdoh on Wednesday expressed confidence to retain the Shillong parliamentary seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing the media, Lyngdoh said the Congress have had to face a multi-cornered contest for Shillong seat all along but “you have seen the party has always come out victorious as people of Khasi and Jaintia Hills are wise enough.”

“(They) understand to send somebody from another party, I don’t know how much they can contribute but if you send (an MP) from a national party (like Congress) issues can be flagged not only by the elected member but the whole party will stand from behind the MP,” he said.

Lyngdoh also maintained that Pala’s defeat in the 2023 Assembly polls will not have any impact in the LS polls saying: “Regarding his losing the MLA elections there (from Sutnga-Saipung), he didn’t lose by a very big margin and you all know what is politics in Jaintia Hills.”

To a question, Lyngdoh said that legislators cannot determine who people will vote during the upcoming LS polls.

“When the Lok Sabha elections were held one of the MLAs from the MDA government said they had many MLAs and many MDCs and that they were sure to win but their candidate lost so ultimately it is not the elected representative who will determine who people will vote for. This time also the people of Meghalaya will vote for a party that will fight against UCC, stand up to CAA, stand up to discrimination of religious minorities…” he said.

On the Centre’s delay to decide on the resolution passed by the State Assembly for immediate implementation of the inner line permit (ILP), Lyngdoh said, “This only shows that they are not serious about protecting the tribal (indigenous population of Meghalaya). Very clearly sabka saath sabka vikas I told you is hollow. It was not a demand made in the street it was a resolution passed by the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly so even the Assembly is not of any concern to the BJP so where is federalism. Isn’t this dictatorship?”

Meanwhile, Congress legislator from Gambegre Saleng A Sangma said that the Congress will continue to fight to ensure inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India and ILP is implemented in Meghalaya.

Also Read: Congress urges Meghalaya citizens to reject BJP and not fall prey to its jingoism

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