SHILLONG, Dec 30 ? The Opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Meghalaya today said it had engaged noted jurist and constitutional expert Fali S Nariman to plead its case in the Supreme Court on January 5 next against six MLAs who had caused a split in the State unit earlier this month and joined Congress, reports PTI.
Talking to reporters here after the party?s general council meeting, national general secretary Purno A Sangma said, ?We are going to file the case in the Supreme Court on January 5, the day it reopens after the vacation. Noted constitutional expert and MP Fali Nariman has consented to accept our brief.?
?We have a very strong case and we hope to disqualify all of them (defectors) with the amended Anti-defection Act,?? he said. Refusing to buy the version of a ?weak and passive? state leadership, a factor the defectors alleged as the cause for the split, Sangma accused the Congress high command of ?systematic attempts? to ?weaken? the NCP in the North-east and said they (defectors) can give any explanation they like. ?But the fact remained they have gone for power,? he added.
Meghalaya assembly Speaker Martin M Danggo had announced in the assembly on December 15 that six NCP MLAs broke away from the parent body and formed a splinter group, Meghalaya Nationalist Congress Party. Four of them were inducted into the Lapang cabinet on the same day. The fledgling party outfit merged with Congress a few days later. To stem further erosion in the party, the national general council meeting also decided to form a political affairs committee in the state led by former speaker Winstone Syiemiong to coordinate between the parent body and its legislature wing.