Two of the five suspended Congress MLAs on Monday resigned as members of the 11th Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
The two legislators - Ampareen Lyngdoh (East Shillong) and Mohendro Rapsang (West Shillong)--- met the Assembly's Commissioner and secretary Andrew Simons and handed over their respective resignation letters to him at the Assembly Secretariat, Khyndai Lad here.
Their resignations also came just hours before they formally joined the ruling National People's Party (NPP). With today's development, altogether five sitting MLAs have resigned. Those resigned include two NPP MLAs - Benedic R Marak (Raksamgre) and Ferlin CA Sangma (Selsella) and one AITC MLA Himalaya M Shangpliang (Mawsynram).
The 60-member State Assembly now has come down to 55 members.
The suspended CLP leader and Mohendro along with three other party colleagues - Kimfa S Marbaniang (Rambrai-Jyrngam), Mayralborn Syiem (Nongpoh) and PT Sawkmie (Mawlai) - were suspended by the Congress for supporting the BJP-backed MDA government.
Speaking to reporters, Ampareen said, "After due diligence and extensive consultations, Rapsang and I have decided to resign as MLAs."
Earlier, the two suspended Congress MLAs had also tendered their resignations from Congress.
Stating that Congress has shown them the door, she said, "They (Congress) have dismissed us and our opinions about our roles as stakeholders of this great democracy of this country, they have refused to consult with us, they have refused to partner with us”.
She added, “We have been this way since February this year and with much pain in our hearts, we have decided that we will walk out of the Congress main gate, the main door officially without fear, without reservation and we are now going to enter a new political forum, we are joining the National People's People."
Ampareen said there may be some amount of disagreement among people from outside their respective constituencies.
On the decision to join the NPP, the former Congress leader said, "Why are we going to the NPP you may ask, we are confirmed and convinced in our two respective constituencies that if we have to leave a national party like the Indian National Congress, we should consolidate on a national party that is of the state itself which is the NPP."
