Shillong, Aug 27: The opposition Congress on Monday said it can prove that the office of the Assembly Speaker had received the letter informing about the party’s decision to suspend the two MLAs – Gabriel Wahlang (Nongstoin) and Charles Marngar (Mawhati) – for a period of six years before they formally merged with the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).
The party is also determined to soon file a case to challenge the merger of the three MLAs on August 19.
Reacting to the Speaker’s claim of not being aware of the suspension order, Congress chief and former Shillong MP, Vincent H Pala, said, “In fact, we had sent the suspension order and the office of the Speaker had received it also. We have proof of that.”
Speaker Thomas A. Sangma had last week stated: “I have not personally received the suspension order (issued by the Congress party) till today. You cannot expect me to make a decision based on what was on the media.”
The Congress leader alleged that the Speaker’s claim was a lie because the NPP was desperate to ensure the merger of the three Congress MLAs to prevent a split by its own legislators.
“Almost, there would have been a split in the NPP, that’s why they were desperate and our people also joined them because of their love for money,” Pala said.
Also alleging that there is a growing infighting with the NPP family, Pala said, “Infighting is very high within the NPP because the newcomers are the ‘heroes’ and the people, who work hard to make them win, are becoming zero.”
On the Leader of Opposition issue, the Congress chief said that he had already asked Mylliem legislator Ronnie V Lyngdoh, who is currently holding the post of LO, to meet the Speaker since the party has become a solo performer in the Assembly.
Pala claims NPP leaders will soon join Congress
Further, the Congress chief claimed that many NPP leaders would be joining the party very soon.
“Today, I had just written a letter to seek approval as many NPP are joining the Congress. Majority of the original NPP will be joining the Congress. Especially in the Garo Hills region, many have approached us and now I am still asking for permission from Delhi,” he said.
He also alleged, “Those who have been working for the party since PA Sangma time were kicked out of the party following the coming of the newcomers, businessmen from Congress, are taking the front seat.”
Congress readying papers to challenge MLAs merger with NPP
On the decision to challenge the merger, the Congress chief said that the party has sent everything to Delhi for preparation of the case. “We have sent everything to them so they will take care of it. They will examine and they will file a case. They have sent me the draft and it is alright,” he added.
Asked, Pala said legal experts are of the view that there is a possibility for the two suspended MLAs to get disqualified as they cannot split and cannot merge like a regular member.
“First you split and then you tell the Speaker we have split. (But in this case) how can they split when two of them have been suspended. They give back date (of their joining with NPP) they lied, in fact they joined on August 19 and they were suspended on August 16 but they claimed that since August 14 they had written a letter but they cannot do like that,” he said while adding that the party will take a call on whether to file the case directly before the high court since the Speaker had already taken a decision to recognize the recent merger of the three Congress MLAs with the ruling NPP.
 and Charles Marngar (Mawhati) – for a period of six years before they formally merged with the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).){kind=link}