SHILLONG, Sept 20: The opposition Congress on Friday ruled out any pre-poll alliance with other political parties for the upcoming Gambegre bye-elections.
“In the election, we will have our own candidate. TMC, NPP, BJP may have their own candidates but we have no understanding for the Gambegre elections, we have our own candidate,” Congress chief Vincent H Pala told reporters.
On the NPP’s prediction that the Congress will not be able to retain the Gambegre seat, Pala however said, “…the election is yet to be announced. Normally, in the bye-election, the government machinery will be used, misusing their power and definitely that is a sign that they are ready to misuse their power and they have already done it.”
Congress and the BJP are yet to announce their candidates for the bye poll whereas the NPP is fielding chief minister’s wife and TMC has approved the name of sitting MDC and wife of former Rangsakona legislator – for the Gambegre seat.
The bye-poll is necessitated following the resignation of sitting Congress legislator Saleng A Sangma after he was elected as Tura MP, earlier this year.
Further, the Congress chief also denied that the Congress is working with the TMC in the state Assembly.
He clarified saying “The mandate given by the people is for us to sit in the opposition. Whether one party, two parties, three parties for the interest of the people of Meghalaya, we have to take certain issues, its not that we can agree or disagree with the issues but certain things as an opposition, you have to perform together, whatever we think it is proper and fit for people of Meghalaya, we should take decision together but it is not that we are working together.”
