Shillong, Dec 3: The defection of 12 Congress MLAs in Meghalaya to Trinamool Congress of Mamata Banerjee may have been eye catching for many political readers of the state when the ‘uprising’ or should we say ‘mutiny’ took place, last week.

This ‘bunker buster’ explosive move by a majority of rebel legislators from the Congress vibrated across the state and beyond.

It also displayed the political shrewdness of Dr Mukul Sangma who displayed not just to his outgoing president Sonia Gandhi, but even his new mentor, Mamata Banerjee, that he still has enough gunpowder in his barrel to let off a shot that can hit with devastating effect on anyone who happens to be at the other end.

But the big question is on Charles Pyngrope who tagged along with Dr Mukul and his entourage to the West Bengal based political party.

As the former Chief Minister of the State, Dr Mukul Sangma, has displayed evidence of his power brokering skills and political caliber when it comes to mobilizing numbers.

Barring Charles Pyngrope, the rest of the 10 MLAs have always been ‘lock, stock and barrel’ in Dr Mukul Sangma’s camp.

From Himalaya M Shangpliang of Mawsynram constituency, George Lyngdoh from Umroi to Shitlang Pale from Jaintia Hills – all three elected representatives from the Khasi-Jaintia region have long been known as “Mukul’s men”.

To question the decision of the 8 legislators from Garo Hills who also took off with him to Trinamool Congress citing an “inner voice” within themselves would be a humiliation for any political reader.

Four of the Garo Hills legislators are family members of Dr Mukul Sangma and three others owe their loyalty to the leader (read-not the party).

So this leaves just Charles Pyngrope in the group of rebels who came bag and baggage, in this case just himself.

“If Charles Pyngrope is really the leader that he is projecting himself to be, then where are his followers? Surely they should have followed their leader to battle,” surprised Congress leaders in the state question.

The fact that four out of nine Khasi Hills based MLAs deserted in support of Dr Mukul Sangma, and none with Charles, raises many embarrassing questions.

Charles Pyngrope is a known face in the Khasi Hills region and has close ties with many Congress leaders and legislators.

There can be no doubt that it was thanks to his close ties with the family of Ampareen and R G Lyngdoh that the UDP lost her.

Congress sources recall the political move by Charles to get Ampareen on a plane to Delhi to meet Congress high command. She returned only to resign from the UDP and the state legislature and seek reelection on a congress ticket which she won hands down.

“The fact that he could not get Ampareen Lyngdoh and the remaining four to switch sides means the Congress party remains powerful in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region. He should have seen the writing on the wall,” unhappy Congress members from Shillong say.

Till this day, Congress leaders just can’t understand the decision taken by Charles Pyngrope to ally with Dr Mukul Sangma and to walk the path alone.

It reminds some of Robert Browning’s poem- The lost Leader and that of a ‘betrayal situation’:

We that had loved him so, followed him, honoured him,

Lived in his mild and magnificent eye,

Learned his great language, caught his clear accents,

Made him our pattern to live and to die!

Shakespeare was of us, Milton was for us,

Burns, Shelley, were with us,—they watch from their graves!

He alone breaks from the van and the freemen,

—He alone sinks to the rear and the slaves!