SHILLONG, FEB 16: Former union minister of state and Shillong Lok Sabha MP Vincent Pala said he is not in the race for the chief minister’s post. He denied harbouring any such ambition and said he was quite happy being the member of Lok Sabha.
There have been reports that Pala is also positioning himself for the post of the chief minister as he along with Lapang ensured that Congress candidate who have been given party ticket in Khasi Jaintia hills are close to them.
Pala, however, denies all these saying that it is mere speculation. He told this website during the Prime Minister’s visit in Shillong on Thursday, “I am not angling for the post of chief minister and all the speculations are wrong he said.
Pala said that the question of who will be the chief minister if the Congress is voted back to power will be decided by the elected legislators. He reminded what the Congress high command had said earlier that the chief minister will be decided by the elected Congress representative.
Political observers in the state, especially those who are familiar with Congress politics, says that Pala will also position himself for the top job if he sees there is an opportunity for him. That will happen only if incumbent chief minister Mukul Sangma and former chief minister and Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president DD Lapang fight among themselves for the top job.
However, much depends on many Congress candidates are elected from Garo, Khasi and Jaintia hills. If the Congress gets more seats from Garo hills then Sangma will straightaway claim the chief minister’s chair, but if the party gets more seats from Khasi and Jaintia hills then both Lapang and Pala will make things difficult for the incumbent chief minister. By Our Reporter
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