SHILLONG, Jan 23: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator from Gambegre, Saleng A Sangma, on Monday resigned as member of the 11th Meghalaya Legislative Assembly and is all set to join the opposition Congress.

Saleng handover his resignation letter to the Commissioner & Secretary Andrew Simons at the Assembly Secretariat here.

Altogether, 19 legislators have so far resigned ahead of the Febraury 27 assembly elections reducing the strength of the House of 60 to 41.

The NCP is one of the six political parties supporting the National People’s Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government.

After resigning from NCP and as MLA, Saleng told reporters that the MDA government has created a lot of anti-incumbency.

“Anti-incumbency was created by the MDA; you know I am part and parcel of it, I am very much aware of that but in decision making we were not on board. Even people knew about it and then people are aware about it so why will I be scared. I don’t have any threats regarding the anti-incumbency created by the MDA government,” he said.

Saleng also slammed the NCP for not being serious and said, “I cannot ride along them because my objective is to change and do some kind of reformation to the people.

To bring about changes, I need serious players, I need a bigger platform. Now with NCP, it seems like I am stuck, I just cannot spread my wings. So that is the reason why I am resigning from the NCP and as an NCP MLA.”

When asked on his decision to join the Congress at a time when all its sitting legislators have deserted the party to join other political parties, the Gambegre legislator said the Congress will give him a bigger platform to serve the people.

“Everybody has left Congress but I am going back. Somebody may be thinking I am a fool or an idiot but it will give a bigger platform than the NCP that is why I am chosing (Congress) as my whole objective is for the people only. I want to do something for the people and that is why I didn’t get a bigger platform, so at least with Congress, there will be ‘we’ actually not ‘I’ anymore,” he said.

He further justified saying “Right now, with NCP I am totally alone so with “I” I cannot do especially in a democracy. We need a team so that is why at least I will have a team in Congress and in that what we can do something for the people of Meghalaya.”

Saleng further claimed that the Congress still has its vote bank in Garo Hills region.