Congress Central leaders meet warring factions in Meghalaya

Shillong: Congress leader Mukul Wasnik today met all 30 Congress legislators, members of autonomous district councils and party workers in Meghalaya, to work on a strategy to prevent any rift within the party due to an open revolt within the party in the state.

Accompanied by AICC general secretary in-charge of the state, C P Joshi, Wasnik met Congress legislator P N Syiem who has revolted against Chief Minister Mukul Sangma against his style of functioning.
Syiem, who holds charge as the chief executive member of the Khasi Autonomous District Council (KHADC), had a long meeting with the Congress observers, during which he told them about the current situation of the party in the state.

Syiem and the Chief Minister are at loggerheads following the legislation of a law last year wherein a legislator cannot hold two elected offices in the state.

Several legislators who were also elected as members of tribal autonomous councils had resigned, but Syiem still holds both posts. The Congress central leaders later told reporters they were "satisfied" with the discussion held with the leaders and representatives at various levels.

"We are very satisfied with the discussion... We will go back with all confidence and evolve a strategy to further strengthen the party for the upcoming 2018 elections. We will inform AICC president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi," Wasnik said.

"On the basis of information and experiences they have shared, we will be coming out with a strategy which will help the Congress to come out as a much stronger party." he said.
Chief Minister Sangma also appeared confident and satisfied and said the party will have its ways of handling the legislators who have revolted against him.

"We have a mechanism to overcome and all these things will fall in place... When you are on the same boat you don't allow the boat to sink," he added.