The Congress is keeping its offer open to the United Democratic Party to work together and form the executive committee in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC).
As the anti-defection law is not applicable in the district councils, the opposition party is also in touch with members from other parties.
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The Congress has 10 members in the KHADC and emerged as the single largest party, but could not form the EC.
The Congress requires five more members to cross the half way mark in the 29-member Council.
Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) leader, Lamphrang Blah told reporters after a short meeting of newly elected members on Monday that the party would sit in the opposition if friends (members) from other parties decided to work together and form the EC.
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“We will also play effective role as opposition, in the KHADC,” Blah said.
Blah, who won from Mawphlang-Diengïei constituency for the fourth consecutive time since 2004 thanked the people for supporting the Congress across Khasi and Jaiñtia Hills during the elections.
Nongshken MDC, Grace Mary Kharpuri said that the Congress will make the opposition strong and effective in the Council.
Congress MLA from Mawsynram, H.M. Shangpliang said that the party leaders had met UDP president Dr Donkupar Roy and also spoke to UDP member Paul Lyngdoh on the need to work together in the KHADC.
“We offered the CEM post to the UDP, and they also told us that they would like to work with us (Congress), but they would first discuss with partners that have together formed the government in the state,” Shangpliang said.
Shangpliang and Congress MP Vincent H Pala also said that the party was keeping its offer open to the UDP and other parties on the need to work together in the KHADC.
The Congress also said that it would wait and watch till the day when newly elected members take their oath on March 6.
“As of today we have not decided to contest the election to the CEM post,” he said.
Pala also said that the people have not rejected the Congress, and the vote share of the party in the elections to the two district councils also did not come down.
On poor performance of the party, getting only four seats in the JHADC, Pala admitted that it was not easy for the party to groom leaders especially after some leaders like Comingone Ymbon, Sniawbhalang Dhar and Lahkmen Rymbui left the party in 2018.
All the four members in JHADC who won are all sitting members.
“It takes time to groom the leaders,” Pala said, adding that the party would come back strongly.
The UDP has decided to form the EC in KHADC with the NPP, HSPDP, PDF and Independent.
In JHADC the NPP will form the EC with the UDP.