Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s scheduled visit to Shillong has been put on hold due to health concerns, with party leaders clarifying that the trip is not cancelled but only rescheduled. “Kharge’s visit is not cancelled but rescheduled, but the new date is yet to be known,” Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president Vincent H Pala confirmed.
The 83-year-old veteran leader recently underwent pacemaker surgery and took to social media to thank supporters for their wishes. “My sincere thanks to the Congress cadres, leaders and supporters for the outpouring of wishes. My deepest gratitude. I intend to start my work schedule soon,” Kharge posted on X, assuring that he will resume responsibilities shortly.
His visit comes at a critical time as the Congress in Meghalaya faces a severe existential crisis. Once the principal opposition force in the state, the party has been reduced to zero representation in the 60-member assembly after successive defections. Last year, Celestine Lyngdoh, Gabriel Wahlang, and Charles Marngar crossed over to the NPP, and the party’s final blow came when Ronnie V Lyngdoh, the lone remaining MLA, also joined the ruling party.
The setback in Meghalaya reflects the Congress’s shrinking footprint across the Northeast, weakened by defections and a leadership vacuum. With restructuring talks underway in Delhi, Kharge’s eventual Shillong visit will be closely watched as a test of whether the party can chart a revival in a region where its influence has all but collapsed.
