Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President and Congress candidate from the Shillong Parliamentary seat Vincent H Pala on Thursday said the candidates of both Shillong as well as Tura seat will file nomination on Monday. Talking to Mediapersons, Pala said in the meeting held at the Congress Bhawan the party workers have been instructed to refrain from making unnecessary or controversial comments during the elections.
The State Congress also asked the party workers not to make personnel attack during the polls as this is not the culture in Meghalaya. The meeting was attended by presidents of the district and block committees of the party.
“We suggested and requested them (party workers) to refrain from personal attack on anybody as that may not be the culture of our politics in Meghalaya,” Pala said.
Asked, he said there is equal competition from all the parties, however, refused to acknowledge anyone in particular. He said every political party is strong in its own way, while the NPP is in the ruling. UDP is strong with 12 MLAs and MDCs. So is VPP and BJP is strong in Urban areas, he said. He said it is not easy to assess as there will be multi corner contests.
Meanwhile, justifying the difference within INDIA alliance in Meghalaya, the MPCC President said, TMC in Meghalaya is different from TMC in Bengal as he predicts most of the leaders of TMC will join BJP post Elections. The Congress leaders had approached and requested Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and former Chief Minister, Dr.Mukul Sangma to return to the Congress, he said.
Further, Pala on Thursday said the party will be fighting the upcoming elections with a lot of constraints because the BJP has frozen 11 of its accounts, which is to the tune of Rs 215 crore.
Speaking to media persons after a party meeting, Pala said, “This election may not be like other elections as the BJP has frozen 11 accounts of the Congress, which is amounting to Rs 215 crore. And they have forcefully withdrawn the money of almost Rs 115 crore from the Congress accounts to the income tax account. So we will be fighting this election with a lot of constraints in terms of resources but the BJP is doing this because they know the Congress is the only party, which will be able to fight against them.”
“For the last 3-4 months, the party has done crowd funding, where any individual can help the party. Many from Shillong have donated funds but BJP is taking it in a different way and they have taken a lot of money from us,” he said.
The Congress chief said there is infighting within the BJP everywhere.
“They (BJP) were strong in Bihar but today Bihar is no more like before. They were strong in Karnataka but today Karnataka is no longer like before. BJP is strong in Rajasthan and today Rajasthan is not like before. BJP is strong in Delhi but Delhi is no longer like before. Today there is infighting of the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, infighting in Haryana, infighting in Bihar, infighting everywhere. They have cut the tickets of so many MPs and they have changed the chief ministers. Definitely, the infightings in the BJP and misusing of the powers and misusing of the BJP in terms of mixing religion as well as politics, people think it is big scope for non-BJP alliance to come together and overthrow BJP this time,” he said.
In Meghalaya, Pala said people are turning towards the Congress.
“Although many of our leaders have been lured and taken away at this juncture, the workers are still with us. Definitely, we have hope as Congress. People know that the only party who can fight the communal forces and only party who respects the minorities and who always think for the indigenous people is the Congress. So voters of Shillong and Tura are well aware of all decisions taken by the BJP, the actions taken by the state government and definitely this time people are looking towards the Congress,” he added.