Shillong, Feb. 5: Meghalaya chief minister D.D. Lapang has accused former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A. Sangma of ?conniving? with militants to hold his own in Meghalaya politics.
Reacting to the open appeal by the Garo Hills-based outfit, the Achik National Volunteers? Council (ANVC), asking voters to support Sangma and his party in the February 12 district council elections, Lapang told the media today that the plea undoubtedly proved a close and clandestine link. ?It has proved beyond doubt that Sangma is involved with the ANVC,? Lapang said.
The outfit?s chairman, Dilash Marak alias Susime Marak, and its general secretary Wanding Marak had recently sent an appeal through e-mails to media offices urging the people to vote for Sangma and his party in the forthcoming elections.
The ANVC leaders had hailed Sangma as a harbinger of peace in the region and appealed to the people to strengthen his hands so as to cement his position as a facilitator in the peace talks with the outfit.
?We will apprise the Centre about the ANVC?s appeal. We will also ask New Delhi not to include him in the proposed peace talks. If there is any grain of truth in the letter, then it could have dangerous consequences,? Lapang said. He said action could be taken against Sangma ?according to law?.
The Meghalaya chief minister, who was accompanied by home minister Robert G. Lyngdoh, said the government would first verify the authenticity of the ANVC press statement before taking any action. But neither leader could say how they would do so.
Lapang, however, said it would not be difficult, now that the ANVC is out to nail Sangma. ?Earlier, there were only allegations about Sangma?s links with the ANVC. But now it has been proved,? Lapang said.
The chief minister was particularly critical about Sangma?s ?complete silence? on the ANVC letter. Construing his silence as acceptance, Lapang termed Sangma?s repeated attempts to play facilitator in the proposed peace talks as ?a farce?.
?Sangma has to take responsibility. Otherwise, it will prove that he is conniving with the ANVC and also backing it,? Lapang said, claiming that the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) which Sangma represents, would use ?these agencies (banned outfits) during election for political mileage?.
Questioning a banned and criminal organisation?s authority to issue diktats and block voters from going through a democratic process, Lapang indirectly threw a challenge to Sangma to speak out on the issue or face the consequences.
?We will not sit quietly but definitely do something. I have to talk to my colleagues in the government before deciding on anything,? Lapang, iterating that the authenticity of the ANVC statement must be verified first.
Lapang was, however, non-committal on whether his government would seize the opportunity and open the contentious militant-politician file. He said his government would keep the option of the peace process open but with the rider that the ANVC ?should come overground for talks?.
The ANVC has also found a backer in the BJP, the only political party which has come out in support of its appeal.