Cong suspends Jaintia Hills Council president

Ahead of the February 3 Assembly polls, the Congress on Saturday suspended Jaintia Hills District Congress Committee (JHDCC) president and former legislator Edmund Lyngdoh for his “unconstitutional” move of dissolving the JHDCC. Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president O L Nongtdu said, “The sole authority for dissolving the Committee lies with the MPCC.”

Lyngdoh was denied party ticket. “He must have thought that dissolving the District Congress Committee would lead to his expulsion from the party. But had we expelled him, Lyngdoh would have been eligible to contest the election as an Independent candidate or on a rival party’s ticket,” said Nongtdu. Now, if Lyngdoh contests the forthcoming polls, without resigning from the party, he would attract the provision of the anti-defection act and might be disqualified.

The Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) Chief Executive Member H Nongtdu was appointed as adhoc president of the JHDCC and was directed by the party to reconstitute the District Congress Committee.

Sanbor Shullai, who left Congress to join the NCP on Friday, is also likely to attract the provision of the anti-defection act, as he had shifted from the Congress to NCP without resigning from the party and from the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council.