Shillong, Sept 17: Former Meghalaya Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader, D. D. Lapang on Monday revealed that he did not contest the Assembly elections because of the attitude of AICC leaders who “are against elderly people with grey hairs.”

Lapang who returned from New Delhi and received by hundreds of hundreds his followers, friends, and well wishers at Nongpoh said, “I did not fight the last Assembly elections (from Nongpoh) after seeing that the mind of AICC leaders was against elderly people with grey hairs.”

Lapang who camped in New Delhi last week, decided to quit the Congress, the party he had associated with, for over 40 years, and submitted his resignation letter to All India Congress Committee (AICC) president, Rahul Gandhi on September 13.

The veteran politician and five times Chief Minister of Meghalaya told the AICC president in his resignation letter that lately, the AICC has been embarking upon a policy of “phasing out senior and elderly people.”

Before leaving the party, Lapang was the Advisor to the MPCC, after he was removed as President of the Congress in the state.

“In my opinion, it means that the service and contribution of senior and elderly people is no longer useful to the party. Since the spirit and enthusiasm to work for the people is still burning inside me, this restriction frustrated and compelled me to be no longer comfortable to be in the party. With my present age and health condition, I have decided to continue serving the people of the country, my state and its people in the same manner wherever I am. Therefore, reluctantly and with my heavy heart, I would like to discontinue my dedication towards the Congress party and I tender my resignation with immediate effect,” Lapang said in his resignation letter.

Lapang’s supporters took out placards while welcoming him at Nongpoh and words inscripted in the placards were in support of the veteran leader and

In his address Lapang slammed the AICC saying, “If we senior leaders cannot serve, the AICC forgot that politicians do not retire.”

Lapang had represented Nongpoh constituency in Ri-Bhoi district since 1972 and he lost the Assembly elections only once in 1993.

Lapang also revealed that he took the decision to leave the Congress in protest against Rahul Gandhi for sacking him as Congress president in the state.

Lapang was replaced by former Congress MLA from Umsning, Celestine Lyngdoh as Congress president in December last year, before going to the Assembly polls.

“They (new leaders at the helms of power of the Congress) asked me to stop. I came out of the party. What kind of a leadership that asks us (elderly) to stop. I am against such a policy, and I will keep working,” the 84-year old political leader vowed.

Announcing that he would continue to work and serve the people after he quit the Congress, Lapang however did not hint which political party he would like to associate with.

Lapang also mentioned that veteran Congress leaders like Digvijaya Singh, Ambika Soni, Kamal Nath and Janardan Drivedi were phased-out, adding that leaders like Sushil Kumar Shinde was also driven out.

Lapang who refused to withdraw his resignation letter said, “I have withstood the test of time (in the Congress). Rahul wanted to talk to me, and even Sonia wanted to speak to me. Mukul (present Leader of Opposition in Meghalaya) spoke with me for over an hour. But I have decided, as I am a man of my words.”

Lambasting the AICC, Lapang held Rahul Gandhi wholly responsible for his decision to quit the Congress and for not contesting the last Assembly elections held in February 27 this year.