All is not well within the Meghalaya Congress. Several Congress leaders have severely criticised MPCC leadership for attempting to deprive deserving candidates of party tickets for contesting the next Assembly polls and sought intervention of the Congress high command in the matter.

According to sources, the AICC decided to keep in abeyance declaration of list of Congress candidates for Meghalaya Assembly elections mainly due to the protest letters sent to party president Sonia Gandhi by several ticket aspirants from various constituencies, who felt that they were "betrayed" by the MPCC.

A delegation of Congress leaders from Laitumkhrah met several AICC leaders at Delhi during the past few days and also submitted a letter to Ms Gandhi protesting the decision of the State Congress leadership to forward to the party high command the name of Orest Jala instead of Nicky F Lyngdoh.

"We had unanimously forwarded the name of Mr Lyngdoh to the MPCC, but to our utter surprise we found that he was not on the list of contenders for party ticket and instead Orest Jala had been selected. The MPCC decision is very unfortunate and it was made without our knowledge," Laitumkhrah Block Congress president Kenny Kharkongor said.

Mr Kharkongor said the decision to nominate Mr Lyngdoh was taken by the party's block committee in the presence of sitting party legislator from Laitumkhrah Robert G Lyngdoh. He also claimed that most AICC leaders had assured to look into the matter and rectify what was called a blunder.

Further, Jaintia Hills District Congress Committee (JHDCC) president Edmund S Lyngdoh lashed out at the attempt by State Congress leadership to deprive him of party ticket for fighting the elections from Nongbah-Wahiajer constituency.

"It appears that the Congress leaders in the State wanted to deprive loyal and hardworking partymen of tickets in favour of rich but incapable persons," Mr Lyngdoh alleged, referring to prominent businessman Sngiawbha Dhar, who was recommended by the MPCC for party ticket.

Stating that during his recent visit to the national capital he had explained the entire scenario in a letter submitted to Ms Gandhi, the JHDCC president said Mr Dhar, who was earlier associated with the UDP, had joined the Congress only recently with the sole purpose of getting ticket for the coming polls.

Similarly, KHADC Chief Executive Member HS Shylla accused Union Tribal Affairs Minister PR Kyndiah of initiating the move to deprive the former of party ticket. It may be mentioned that the MPCC had recommended Mr Kyndiah's son Waibha K Kyndiah as candidate from Nongkrem constituency.

Expressing his happiness over the decision of the AICC to keep the issue of distributing tickets for the polls in abeyance, Mr Shylla said, "The eligibility for ticket should be based on winnability and not on the fact that you are the son of somebody. The Congress, being a national party of repute, should show its maturity on the issue."

Moreover, several Congress leaders from Kharkutta had earlier expressed their shock and resentment against the move by the MPCC to recommend sitting legislator Elstone D Marak as candidate from the constituency.

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