Meghalaya Congress mulls legal action against NPP amid row over MLA poaching

Shillong: Frustrated by the ongoing poaching of its MLAs and party functionaries, the Congress party in Meghalaya is considering legal action against the National People’s Party (NPP).

Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Vincent H. Pala said the NPP appears to be emulating the BJP strategy of destabilizing rival parties.

 “The BJP has been poaching leaders from other parties in Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh, and the NPP seems to be trying the same tactics here,” Shillong Times quoted  Pala as saying.

He added that both the NPP and the BJP are using their “illegal” funds to sway individuals.

Pala announced plans to visit New Delhi in the coming days to consult with the All India Congress Committee (AICC) legal team about possibly taking the NPP to court.

“We will not let the NPP go unchallenged; we will ensure they face the consequences for their actions,” he said, accusing the party of exploiting the state’s resources for personal gain.

Pala's comments follow the suspension of two Congress MLAs, Gabriel Wahlang and Charles Marngar, for six years due to their alleged involvement in “anti-party activities” and plans to join the NPP.

The AICC’s decision to suspend the MLAs was based on Pala’s report, which suggested that their actions had harmed the Congress party in their respective constituencies by collaborating with the NPP at the district council level.

Pala described the suspension as a necessary measure to cleanse the party, noting that the two MLAs had been critical of the NPP while working with Conrad K. Sangma’s party in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC).