Shillong, June 13 (IANS): Meghalaya's opposition Congress on Wednesday exuded confidence that its senior legislator Martin M. Danggo will not quit the party, a day after he publicly announced his intention to join the ruling National People's Party (NPP).
"In politics, nothing is final. We trust all the MLAs of the party and all the 21 Congress MLAs are intact," Congress spokesperson Zenith M. Sangma told journalists here.
"Being a matured and seasoned politician, he (Danggo) will not take any wrong decisions. However, there is a certain agenda which has led to the turn of events," he added.
The Congress on Tuesday suffered a setback after its party members from South West Khasi Hills district's Ranikor block resigned en masse and joined the ruling NPP while Danggo, who is the sitting Congress legislator from Ranikor assembly constituency, had openly expressed his confidence in the leadership of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and said that he foresees a brighter future for Meghalaya under his leadership.
The resignations came in wake of the refusal of the previous Congress government headed by Mukul Sangma, now the Leader of Opposition, to the local demand to upgrade the Ranikor Community and Rural Development Block to a Sub-Division. Ranikor, bordering India-Bangladesh border, is around 121 km from Shillong.
Asked if the Congress will slap a show cause notice against Danggo for his public announcement that he will resign as member of the assembly and from the primary membership of the Congress, Zenith Sangma said: "As of now, we are not going to issue any show cause notice to Danggo. I am confident that he is not leaving the party.
However, the Congress spokesperson said that the party has taken serious note on the lowering of the Congress flag and hoisting of the NPP flag at the public meeting in Ranikor.
Asked if the political development in the Congress has again raised question marks over Mukul Sangma as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), Zenith Sangma, who is also the younger brother of the former Chief Minister, said that the leadership is not claimed by any individual.
"However, if any member is discontented with the issue of leadership, one is free to raise this issue in the CLP. They can even take up the issue with the All India Congress Committee (AICC). There is a system in place. Just talking in the corner or gossiping is not going to help. This kind of issue has to be taken in the right forum," he said.
