Shillong, Aug 22: Following the recent setback, the opposition Congress has decided to move court against the merger of its three MLAs with the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) even as it will soon take a call on whether to pull out of executive committee in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC).

Addressing the media after chairing a meeting of the party, Congress chief Vincent H Pala said, “We are consulting (with legal experts) and we are getting the papers (ready); so, definitely we will file a case. There is no doubt about that.”

He informed that the party is still consulting with legal experts on how to go about challenging the Assembly Speaker’s order to recognize the merger of the three out of four party MLAs – Dr Celestine Lyngdoh (Umsning constituency), Charles Marngar (Mawhati constituency) and Gabriel Wahlang (Nongstoiñ constituency) – with the NPP on August 19.

Further, the Congress president informed that the majority of the party workers have strongly expressed the need for the party to pull out of the NPP-led EC in the KHADC and have left it to the party leadership to soon take a call on the matter.

The Congress now is left with only two MDCs – Ronnie Lyngdoh (who is also Mylliem MLA) and Pynshngainlang N Syiem (Mawkhar-Pynthorumkhrah) – in the 30-member House following the switching sides of Charles Marngar and Gabriel Wahlang.

Pynshngainlang is currently the deputy chief executive member in the Pyniaid Sing Syiem-led EC.

“The mood of our workers is that we should go alone in the district council and they have also entrusted the president and his team to examine the pros and cons. The overall mood is that they are not happy with the way the NPP is doing and the way it is happening in the district council. So, most of them think that we should withdraw from the council,” Pala said.

“Pynshngain had assured them that we have a system. We are a national party. We cannot just walk in or walk out. We have a system. We have to see the pros and cons. The interest of the public has to be taken into consideration. We have told them and majority of them have expressed that they trust us and would leave the matter to us,” he added.

Pala said that the decision of the Congress to support the NPP-led EC in the KHADC was based on issues related to the amendment of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India and delimitation of the constituencies ahead of ADC elections.

Asked on the delay to take a decision on pulling out from NPP-led EC despite demand made by party workers following the MP elections, Pala said, “You may say that it may be late but our intention is that we are not a party which is under pressure by anybody. We should scrutinize and we should examine and see that the priority is to protect our people and preserve our culture, our land and our unity.”

Congress working president Pynshngain N Syiem said, “The voice of the party workers is to relook at our working together with the district council. This has been endorsed to the state president and leaders to discuss on this issue.”

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