(file photo)
Shillong,March 05: Outgoing chief minister Mukul Sangma on Monday said he will never associate with a party like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) because the nation needs Congress to be there.
“Until Christ comes it is as blunt as that,†Sangma told journalists on his last day in office after completing full term as chief minister on Monday, while reacting to a query whether he would join the saffron party.
He also recalled that he had proven everyone wrong who thought that because of his closeness with late Purno Agitok Sangma would leave the Congress to join the Nationalist Congress Party, when it was formed by the late leader along with others.
“I am because of the Congress and this nation needs Congress to be there. If Congress is weak, you will have a problem in this country. It is showing already, people have to be very cautious that is why people like me have to be there in the Congress,†Sangma said.
“If others don’t care about the people they can do whatever they like but I am not amongst them,†he added.
The outgoing chief minister won from both the seats – Ampati and Songsak – he contested in the just concluded Assembly election with a comfortable margin.
Sangma retained his home constituency by defeating his closest rival Bakul Ch Hajong of the BJP by a huge margin of 8104 and also defeating NPP sitting MLA of Songsak Nihim D Shira by a margin of only 1830 despite predictions that he would lose in both the seats.
Asked which among the two seats he would relieve, Sangma said that within this week, he will decide whether to give up Ampati or Songsak.
“I will be meeting my party and grassroot workers and accordingly decide on the matter,†Sangma said while thanking the electorate of both the constituencies for reposing faith in him despite not getting time to campaign.
Asked whether the two Independent MLAs are supporting the Congress, Sangma said frankly speaking, the Congress is still talking with all of them and it will wait for their response.
“We are not in a hurry to gobble up our numbers we know what is going to happen so we will wait,†he added.
