Shillong, Aug 23: TMC leader and former chief minister Dr. Mukul Sangma on Friday opined that MLAs leaving their party means the party is also at fault at some level. He said there must have been internal conflicts, leading the legislators to leave the party.

He was commenting on the recent political development in the state following the merging of three Congress MLAs – Gabriel Wahlang (Nongstoin), Dr Celestine Lyngdoh (Umsning) and Charles Marngar (Mawhati) with the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).

“Now, unfortunately what has happened probably can be attributed to the party itself also. There must have been some cold war going on for a reasonable period of time resulting in this showdown,” he added.

He asserted that smaller political parties need to ensure their legislators are committed to stay in their respective parties. “Now, with no intent to offend anybody but it is also important for every party to ensure that their members stay as committed members of the party with the collective resolve to fulfil the vested responsibilities,” he said.

He also expressed concern on the recent political development, stating it does not augur well for the state and its people.

The NPP has increased its strength to 31 following the merging of the three Congress MLAs on August 19 and two People’s Democratic Front (PDF) MLAs, last year.

Asked if NPP is also approaching TMC MLAs to join its fold, the former CM said, “I have full trust and confidence in my members. I think we have demonstrated that earlier also in the past.”

Further, he said that he along with 12 MLAs of the Congress had merged with the TMC with intent to give an alternative political platform and not with an intent to be in power prior to elections unlike the other MLAs who merged with the NPP just to be part of the government out of desperation to be in power.”

“I don’t find any reason why MLAs should be so desperate to be part of the ruling dispensation unless there are some instances of inducement,” he further expressed.

Asked if there is a possibility for the two suspended Congress MLAs to be disqualified since the Congress has decided to challenge the recent merger with the NPP in court, Dr Sangma said these are technicalities and vis-à-vis the provisions of the tenth schedule of the Constitution of India and also various pronouncements and judgments by the Apex Court.

Technically, he said, the suspended members of the legislative assembly cannot decide to split and merge with any political party.

“What happens when MLAs are suspended by the political party to which they belong, they become suspended MLAs, so they cannot be a signatory to any of the decisions being made by any of the members, who are regular members and not suspended. Therefore, a suspended MLA cannot be a party to a decision to split and merge. The suspended MLAs cannot be party or cannot be a signatory in the merger letter given by MLAs of any political party, because they are suspended MLAs. So the difference between the two and the one is completely different,” he explained.

Gabriel Wahlang and Charles Mangar were suspended by the Congress before joining the NPP while Dr Celestine Lyngdoh was spared.

“Suspended MLAs cannot decide to split and merge with any political party that is the technical part. That is why the issue of suspension. It is an attempt of the party to pre-empt the chances of deciding to split or not. That is the technicality party. But how they are interpreting, whether there is a manipulation or not all these technicalities have to be known from the whole records of which probably the office of the Speaker and the party will be in a much more position to tell you. But I am only telling you the technicalities of how you interpret it. Therefore, if the two suspended MLAs, when they decide to merge, then the suspended MLAs cannot sign together as they don’t belong to the same category anymore,” he explained.

Read: TMC to field Zenith’s wife and GHADC’s lone female MDC Sadhiarani M Sangma for Gambegre bye-poll

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