Shillong, Jan 13: Senior Congress leader and Shillong City President PT Sawkmie has termed the arrival of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) into Meghalaya as a temporary impact in the political field, even going to the extend of stating that it would have no future in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region.

He also said that he remains with the Congress but cannot foretell the future.

“They will be popular temporarily but shall fade away after the elections. They won’t be able to make any impact in the Khasi Jaintia region because people will not vote for the TMC” strongly feels Sawkmie.

He reminded that for any political party to make an impact, it would require sincerity and must have the interests of the people and development of the state.

Speaking to press persons, Sawkmie said that although he can’t speak for the other four MLAs still with the Congress, yet, he himself as a leader would still continue to be with the grand old party and shall take a call on his future only after the end of his term.

On further query about his future in the Congress party, Sawkmie recalled the departure of 12 MLAs and said, “Who would have thought that veteran leaders like Dr. Mukul Sangma would leave the Congress so we never know about the future.”

Mentioning about the restrenthening of the Congress party in the City and the state Sawkmie said a meeting of the party workers from all the constituencies in Shillong city would require to be held.

“We have to strengthen the block in Shillong first as they play a very important role with all issues coming from here. Many of the blocks don’t have the office bearers so electing the office bearers is the first thing on the agenda.”

He termed the delay in electing the office bearers due to the surge of Covid-19 and the recent conclusion of Christmas and New Year celebrations.

But, he reiterated that the Congress party would rake up all the issues at the right time.

On a query if the Congress party would file a case against the 12 Defectors who had left the party to join the TMC last year Sawkmie said the decision has been left to the wisdom of the MPCC President Vincent Pala and the All India Congress Committee or AICC .

It may be mentioned that in a shocking move 12 MLAs from the Congress party had defected to All India Trinamool Congress last year led by Dr. Mukul Sangma after which CLP leader Ampareen Lyngdoh had filed a petition seeking their disqualification however the speaker had recognised their merger with the TMC.

Govt accused of delaying tactics on probe over death of HNLC leader

Congress leader PT Sawkmie slammed the state government of using delay tactics to buy time so that people will forget about the alleged encounter of Former HNLC leader Cherish Starfield Thangkiew.

Sawkmie said that they (the Government) had said that it would come out with the findings of the committee in three months time but even after completion of the time frame nothing substantial has come out except for the commission seeking an extension.

He alleged that the delay tactic is to dilute the issue so that the people would forget about the whole incident and the case gets closed.

“I will raise this issue on the floor of the house and not allow the Government to get away that easy. The truth into the death of the late Cherish Starfield Thangkiew should come out and the overnment must come out with the findings of the committee at the earliest,” he demanded.

It may be mentioned that following the death of former HNLC general secretary Cherish Starfield Thangkiew there was immense pressure from the pressure groups in the state which compelled the state government to order a judicial enquiry into the alleged encounter which has not seen the light of the day so far.