Karnataka effect: Cong stages protests across Meghalaya

The Congress, which emerged the single largest party in the February elections in Meghalaya but was not invited to form the government, today held statewide protests here and sent a petition to President Ram Nath Kovind urging him to safeguard democratic principles and the sanctity of the Constitution.

The Congress staged dharnas and later, submitted a memorandum addressed to President Ramnath Kovind at the Raj Bhawan.

Governor Ganga Prasad is currently not in Shillong.

"As a mark of protest, the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee is organising statewide dharnas to protest this blatantly partisan and authoritarian act of the governor of Karnataka," MPPC president Celestine Lyngdoh said in a petition to the governor.

Earlier, state Congress president and MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh and Congress legislature party secretary Hima Shangpliang staged a protest at the Congress Bhavan here.

The Congress had secured the maximum number of seats (20) in the then House of 58 in the Assembly elections held in the state on February 27.

The National Peoples Party (NPP), securing 19 seats, was called to form the government with support from the United Democratic Party (6), the Peoples Democratic Front (4), the Hills State Peoples Democratic Party (2), the BJP (2), the NCP (1) and two Independents.