In the midst of a mounting political whisper campaign within the Meghalaya Congress, where reports suggest that a faction of party leaders has approached the All India Congress Committee (AICC) demanding his removal, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Vincent H. Pala dismissed the alleged move against him as internal political aspirations.
Emphasizing discipline over desire, Pala underscored that the Congress is a national party governed by system, not impulsive power plays. He remarked that politics within the party is natural and that every Congressman aspires to be a block president, or a district president, or a state president.
“Definitely, in the family, politics is always there — who doesn’t want to be a leader? Every Congressman wants to be a block president, a district president, or a state president — that is normal and there is nothing wrong with it. But there is a system in removing the block president or a district president or Pradesh Congress Committee president. It cannot be like I say I want to be president, I go join and become president — this is not a regional party, this is a national party. We have a system, we have a procedure, so I don’t think we should waste time on those issues,” Pala said, responding to the alleged move against him.
Turning his criticism toward detractors and former legislators hesitant to rejoin the party, Pala remarked, “A party is not controlled by outsiders; the party is controlled by the party workers. We are a party which works in a system. We are the party not to please anyone, but we are the party who looks towards the poor people. We are not the party where any rich people can dictate to us.”
Taking a jibe at those who had earlier deserted the Congress, he said, “As on today, many of them who accused (me) because of this reason or that reason (demanding my removal), but when they came, they said you should be there. It’s not fair to say that in the party they are anti or against me. Whenever we have meetings, there was a resolution that there is no compromise.”
He further added, “You tell me one of the leaders who left — whether they left for personal benefits or because of internal rifts. I have not seen a single leader who had a rift with me and left. Majority of them left because of personal benefits. Many said they want development, many said the Congress is not in power, but not a single one had a problem with me.”
Reiterating that no genuine Congress leader has called for his removal, Pala asserted, “There is no Congress leader who will say remove Pala. There are sections of people who stick with ideology, while there are sections who go for benefits — that is normal human life. I joined politics because I want to serve; some joined politics because they want to make business; some joined because their friends do that. But today, as on today, I don’t find even a small section in Congress who wants to remove Pala, and those who left — I don’t find a single one of them who say we left because of you. Those who left had their own reasons.”
Despite internal murmurs and a depleted legislative presence, Pala maintained that he remains “the accepted leader in the party as of today.”
Since Pala assumed charge of the MPCC, the Congress has endured successive blows — from the defection of Dr. Mukul Sangma and 11 MLAs to the Trinamool Congress, to the suspension of five legislators aligning with the ruling NPP-led alliance, and the eventual exodus of these suspended MLAs before elections. In 2023, the party won five seats; however, its lone Garo Hills MLA, Saleng A. Sangma, contested and won the 2024 Lok Sabha seat from Tura.
Though the party saw a brief revival with Saleng A. Sangma’s 2024 Lok Sabha win from Tura, the loss of the Gambegre bypoll and the subsequent defections of the remaining four legislators to the NPP left the Congress once again without representation in the 60-member Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
