Shillong,May 19: The banned Khasi rebel outfit – Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) yesterday alleged that the ruling Congress has sought the former’s support for the forthcoming assembly elections by sending feelers.
In a released issued on Thursday, the outfit’s publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw alleged that the chief minister Mukul Sangma had sent feelers to the HNLC to support the Congress in the elections.
“Last week, he (chief minister) had sent feelers towards our organization to support the Congress candidates in the entire Khasi and Jaintia hills for the forthcoming 2018 elections,” Nongtraw stated in the release.
“We were told that if we want the peace process to start then we should support the Congress in the forthcoming elections thereby making way for another term for Mukul as a Chief Minister. Once he becomes the CM then he shall definitely take things seriously and start the peace process,” he claimed.
Stating that all this while the outfit had communicated to the state government for appointment of an interlocutor to push forward the peace talks, he said, “But now it’s Dr Mukul Sangma who wants to bargain with us.”
However Nongtraw said, “We are not fools, who can be used by Mukul for his political gains as he did in Garo Hills during the last assembly elections,” adding “We rather intensify our struggle than to bargain with Dr Mukul.”
According to him, the outfit also wants to make it clear that in future any feelers sent by the state government should be free of any political manipulations.
“Dr Mukul is not the sole proprietor of Meghalaya. He is only the CM for a specified timeframe. His downfall is very near. Dr Mukul Sangma’s selfishness, arrogance and pride shall become the main reasons for his downfall,” he said.
He further stated that the HNLC do not support any political party nor their ideologies adding but any party which uplift the people, empower them and bring in developmental activities should carry on their work with honesty and integration.
Nongtraw further stated that the HNLC also issued a strong warning against any unscrupulous people from misusing the name of the outfit during elections under the diktat of Mukul.
