In a huge embarrassment for the Congress President, the day he is to kick off his election campaign in Meghalaya which goes to vote next month, 115 Congress members resigned from the party over ticket allocation. The decision by All India Congress Committee (AICC) and Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) for ticket allocation in Chokpot is the cause of rebel within the party.
Reportedly, the Block Congress Committee (BCC) of Chokpot constituency was not too happy with the ticket distribution to Lazarus Sangma. The members of BCC Baghmara also decided to put in their resignations prior to ticket declaration. The members said that since they are working closely to the grassroot level, they know the political inclination of the place better and felt Sangma was a wrong choice for candidacy. The members felt that Sangma is an ‘outsider’ and should not be holding ticket or contesting from the seat. The members had demanded a local candidate who would understand their problems better, but their demands were overlooked.
This rebellion of members of Meghalaya Congress comes on the eve of Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s campaign kick off. Gandhi will be on a 2 day visit to Meghalaya where he is expected to interact with state leaders, workers and people in Jaintia and Garo Hills. Gandhi is also expected to meet religious heads, leaders of indigenous faith believers and traditional chiefs during his visit.
Interestingly, within less than a month of Rahul Gandhi becoming Congress President, four Congress MLAs from Meghalaya quit Congress earlier this month to join the BJP. With more people rebelling in Congress in Meghalaya, it remains to be seen whether this dissipating political strength of the Congress party in Meghalaya works in favour of the BJP, thereby enabling the latter to form a government in the state.