Khyriem files nomination for RS polls

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 13, 2020

Cong decides not to support MDA for its pro-CAA stand: Mukul

The opposition Congress on Friday said that it would have consider supporting the candidature of Dr WR Kharlukhi had the National People’s Party (NPP) made its stand clear on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA).

This came a day after the NPP leader and deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong had appealed to the opposition to extend its support to the MDA candidate in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

Reacting to a query, Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma said, “We welcome their (NPP) appeal and at the same time had their position been very clear in respect of CAA, I think we would have taken a call (to support their candidate).”

He said in the past, the state has sent candidate without any contest adding even for the Rajya Sabha MP Wansuk Syiem, there was no contest due to unanimity among the members of electoral collage.

The former chief minister however said but today everyone knows what is the stand of the ruling NPP on the issue.

“The stand of the NPP has been indicated by the manner in which their lone member in the Lok Sabha (Agatha K Sangma) has articulated (in parliament) and that is the reason why we have decided otherwise. Otherwise, we would be happy to have a common candidate,” he said.

The Congress is fielding former legislator Kennedy Khyriem as its nominee for the election to the lone Rajya Sabha seat slated for March 26. Khyriem was accompanied by Sangma and a host of Congress legislators during the filing of his nomination papers today.

Sangma further informed that the Congress had tried to look at likeminded parties who have the same stand against the CAA to come together and that is the reason it took time to finalise the candidate for the election.

Asked whether he is confident that his party will win the election, the Congress leader said, “It will all be determined by the conscience of the members of the august House and if they want to truly reflect the aspiration of their electorate (whose stand on the CAA is very clear).”

“Keeping in mind the prevailing political scenario across the nation and the kind of situation that we are confronted with, I am sure we will be able to reach out to our friends from other political parties particularly regional parties, who also share the same sentiments (against the CAA),” Sangma said.