The Congress party has lodged a formal complaint with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly against three MLAs who recently left the party.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Vincent H Pala said the party has submitted the complaint to the Speaker and will await a decision, Pala added that if the response from the Speaker is not justifiable then the Congress will take the matter in the court of law.
Pala explained that two of the suspended MLAs, Gabriel Wahlang from Nongstoin and Charles Marngar from Mawhati cannot joined the National People’s Party (NPP) due to their suspension. Celestine Lyngdoh, the Umsning MLA, also cannot join the NPP under the provisions of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which deals with anti-defection laws.
The complaint is divided into two parts: one against Wahlang and Marngar and the other against Dr. Celestine Lyngdoh. According to Pala, under the Tenth Schedule, an MLA needs the support of two-thirds of the party’s members to defect to another party. Without such a majority, their defection is not illegal.
Pala also pointed out that at a party meeting held on August 16, both Charles and Gabriel were absent, while Dr. Celestine was present, casting doubt on the validity of his claimed resignation. He questioned how Celestine could claim to have resigned on August 14 if he was still attending party meetings two days later, suggesting irregularities in the process.
Pala warned that if the Speaker fails to take appropriate action, the party will consider taking the matter to court, leaving the outcome to the public’s scrutiny.
Currently, three Congress MLAs have defected to the NPP, while Ronnie V Lyngdoh the MLA from Mylliem, remains the lone Congress representative in the Legislative Assembly.
