Shillong Dec 18: The opposition Congress in Meghalaya was hopeful that in 2019, the slogan ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’ would turn otherwise, and the party would again take over the reign from the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance.

“Everyone is saying it is the end for the Congress, but we say, let 2019 comes,” State Congress president, Dr Celestine Lyngdoh said on Tuesday.

Asked why the Congress believes that it can rule the state again from 2019 onwards, Lyngdoh said, “for now, let the people see the performances of the NPP-led MDA government. Let people experience with this present government. They have made many promises including lifting the ban on coal mining within few months.”

According to Lyngdoh 2019 would tell the mood of the people not only in Meghalaya but in the country as a whole.

The Congress with 20 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly is sitting in the Opposition, and the NPP also with 20 MLAs is leading the MDA government with the support of other parties and Independents.

The Congress now has 19 MLAs following the demise of its legislator from Selsella constituency, Clement Marak.

Congress MP from Assam, Gaurav Gogoi also said that the Congress has special bond with the people of the North East while hoping that the wheels of democracy will turn where his party will come back to power in various states of the region.

“We are grateful to the people of the North East for supporting the Congress, and the party has special bond with the people of the region, and various communities in the region has close relationships with the Congress,” Gogoi said, while replying to a query over the Congress defeat in all states that it ruled in the Northeast.

Congress started losing power in Assam, followed by Arunachal Pradesh where majority of Congress legislators defected to the BJP, and then Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

“I am not saying that Congress is always in power, but the wheels of democracy will turn,” he said, adding that the results from the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and the inability of the BJP to win in Telangana and Mizoram would impact the North East and other states of the country in the upcoming elections.

Gogoi said that in upcoming Lok Sabha elections next year, the people would realize the lies of the BJP and they would give a befitting reply as it was seen in the just conclude Assembly elections in those five states.

“People will vote against the BJP and few industrialists in 2019, and the Rafale deal is a conspiracy between the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi himself, and Anil Ambani who floated the Reliance Defence Limited, just 12 days before Prime Minister made a visit France in April 2015,” he said.

Slamming the BJP-led NDA government and Prime Minister, Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal, Lok Sabha member from Assam, Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday urged the Supreme Court to withdraw its judgment based on the false statement of the Centre.

Gogoi who was addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan in Shillong said, though the Supreme Court decision on Rafale issue was based on CAG report, but the CAG had not given any report, and neither was it placed in Parliament nor in Public Accounts Committee, because the Court was misled by the NDA government.

“The BJP-led government has cheated the Supreme Court by saying that the report has been submitted and then replaced ‘has been’ by ‘is’ by stating that the report is being examined. It is a set of lies where ‘has been’ was replaced by ‘is’ and the BJP government has misled the Court on this issue,” Gogoi alleged.

Urging the Apex Court to initiate a contempt of court against the NDA government, Gogoi also urged the Supreme Court to withdraw its judgment on the Rafale issue.

The Congress MP reiterated the demand for a probe by the joint parliamentary committee into the alleged Rafale scam and that the BJP should not fear of the JPC as it was during the then Congress-led UPA government which welcomed the JPC when the BJP had demanded when it was in the Opposition.

“The BJP government also cheating the people by addressing as many press conferences on Monday on the Rafale issue just to cover up things,” he alleged.