Shillong, March 25 : With the NCP-UDP-led Meghalaya Progressive Alliance and the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance at loggerheads, the formation of a government in Meghalaya seems unlikely before the completion of the Lok Sabha election on April 16.
The opposing alliances, however, agree that it would be a long wait that would test their patience.
Till then, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and other MPA constituents have decided to vigorously campaign against the Congress in the Northeast for the general election.
NCP leader P.A. Sangma, who today postponed his Saturday’s hunger strike in Delhi following requests from political leaders and supporters in the Northeast, left for Tura with sons Conrad and James to be present during the filing of nominations by his daughter and party candidate Agatha Sangma tomorrow.
Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) leader H.S. Lyngdoh said he was also busy preparing for Lok Sabha election in Shillong. The HSPDP, a constituent of the MPA, has put up Reverend P.B.M. Basaiwmoit as its candidate to contest the Shillong seat.
The Congress also started poll preparations even as it continued to explore ways and means to form an alternative government. “Though we are open to any alliance, we are yet to be approached formally by the opposite group so that we can break the deadlock,” senior Congress legislator Charles Pyngrope said today.
The Congress reiterated its desire to work with like-minded parties, but the MPA ruled out any such arrangement.
“It is not our fault and the ball is in the court of the UDP or other like-minded parties. The Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance has only 27 members after the Speaker arbitrarily disqualified five legislators,” Pyngrope said.
Though P.A. Sangma had proposed the idea of a multi-party government, he made it clear that the MPA does not agree to it at the moment. “It was suggested earlier, but we do not support the idea now,” he said.
UDP president Donkupar Roy also ruled out the suggestion of a Congress-UDP government in the state. “We are all united and the rumours that the UDP is divided over the issue of extending support to the Congress to form an alternative government is baseless,” he said.
Roy convened a parliamentary party meeting of the UDP and the members pledged to remain united under the MPA banner.
UDP legislator Ampareen Lyngdoh, who had expressed reservation against holding a protest rally in Shillong against President’s rule in the state, told The Telegraph that she had met Roy at his residence today. She said she was very much united with the party and the MPA and reports of her inclination towards the Congress were baseless rumours.
As Section 144 CrPC is in force against any form of agitation, the UDP has decided to write to East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner B. Dhar to hold a public rally at Malki on Saturday.
Lyngdoh had remained aloof and gone out of station after writing a letter to Roy on Sunday night saying that MPA partner and Independent Manas Chaudhuri had “threatened” her after she expressed reservation about taking part in the agitation.
Roy said Lyngdoh’s protest was a non-issue and the problem had been solved as the UDP was united to fight against President’s rule in line with the MPA.
As Section 144 CrPC is in force against any form of agitation, the UDP has decided to write to East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner B. Dhar to hold a public rally at Malki on Saturday.