Shillong June 05: Former Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma said that the MDA government would not be able to handle the issue related to the demand to shift settlers from Them ïew Mawlong, but claimed that the Congress can handle it.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party here on Tuesday, the former Chief Minister talked about challenges that his Congress-led government faced in the past when he was at the helm of affairs, and how his government could tackle various challenges that confronted the state including militancy problem.

“If you go by what we (Congress government) have done, many challenges that confronted the people and the state we have been able to handle them one after another. Everything cannot be resolved in eight years. We knew about this problem (shifting settlers from Them ïew Mawlong). That is why we say, it will take enough time.”

But the Leader of Opposition said that if the Congress gets the mandate (form government), it can handle this issue now also.

“If they (MDA government) do not know how to handle it, we will handle within a reasonable period of time as we know these people cannot handle it,” Mukul said, while stating that the state has engaged in this particular issue for a very long time.

“The solution is there, and now let the solution be utilized and let this problem be solved once and for all,” he said.

The Congress did not agree with the MDA government on the formation of the High Level Committee for finding solution to the long pending issue (shifting of settlers from Them ïew Mawlong), but wanted a judicial inquiry.

“The Judicial Inquiry will give a very transparent and complete picture about the situation and ways and means of handling it. Getting the whole issue resolved is what we mean business and we wanted to give constructive suggestion for the larger good of the state,” he said.

Accusing the MDA government of having failed to handle the law and order problem in the City, Mukul said, “We (Congress government) had not only restored peace, but managed to sustain it. It is sad that the present government has messed up everything in three months. Today the name and fame of the state that we built over the years and put it among the top tourist destinations has been adversely affected and this has derailed growth. Now it will take time to restore the name,” Mukul said.

He said the responsibility of the state government was to maintain peace and handle the situation in such a manner so as to restore peace.

On UDP leader Paul Lyngdoh’s comments that the Congress had failed to solve the issue (Them ïew Mawlong), Mukul said, “Paul Lyngdoh has gone out of circulation. He likes only to attract people’s attention because he is not in the reckoning. That is his style.”

Opposition chief whip, P.T. Sawkmie also added, “He (Paul) is a failed politician.”

Asked if the Congress would stake claim for government formation as it emerged as the single party with 21 MLAs, Mukul did not comment saying, “That (staking claim) is a million dollar question. When you play cards you do not put all the cards on the table. Politics is as simple as that. Do not expect me to put all my cards, but I keep them close to my chest.”

To a question that if the Congress would the Karnataka way of government formation, he said,

“We will talk on that later on.”

The Congress has 21 MLAs in the 60-membr Assembly after retaining the Ampati Assembly seat in the bye election held on May 28.

Mukul’s eldest daughter, Miani D. Shira was elected in the bypoll held on May 28.