Shillong: Veteran Congress leader Martin Danggo, who quit as member of the Meghalaya assembly on Thursday night, resigned from the primary membership of the Congress on Friday to join the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).
In his resignation letter to state Congress president Celestine Lyngdoh, Danggo said that he had resigned as member of the assembly and the party “as per the desire of my (danggo) people”.
Home Minister James Sangma said that Danggo, who had been elected to the assembly five consecutive times from Ranikor assembly constituency, will be joining the NPP and seeking re-election from the constituency.
On June 12, several Congress members from South West Khasi Hills district’s Ranikor block resigned en masse and joined the ruling NPP in the presence of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.
The resignations came in wake of the refusal of the previous Congress government headed by Mukul Sangma, now the Leader of Opposition, to the local demand to upgrade the Ranikor community and rural development block to a sub-division.
Conrad Sangma, who attended a meeting at Ranikor, said the demand of the people for creation of a sub-division was “genuine” assured his government would fulfil it at the earliest.
Danggo, who hosted the public meeting on behalf of the people of Ranikor, expressed his confidence in Conrad Sangma and said that he foresees a brighter future for Meghalaya under his leadership.
Following Danggo’s resignation, the opposition’s strength has reduced to 20 in the 60-member assembly.
IANS