Shillong, Oct 26: Former NPP state president Dr WR Kharlukhi on Monday announced his support for Congress candidate Vincent H Pala in the Shillong Lok Sabha bypoll, citing Congress’s opposition to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment Bill, 2026.
Addressing a news conference here, Kharlukhi ended speculation over his next move after resigning from NPP two months ago.
“There has been a lot of speculation after I resigned from NPP, people are asking me what’s next. In today’s press conference I would like to announce what’s next. I have decided to support Congress and its candidate Vincent H Pala in this coming by-election for the Shillong parliamentary seat,” he said.
Kharlukhi said he is against the FCRA amendment in its present form.
“The FCRA Amendment Bill 2026, I am very much against it in its present form. For 79 years of independence, I feel threatened because of this Bill. Section 16-A of the amendment Bill is very disturbing and cannot be accepted,” he said.
He credited Congress for blocking the Bill in Parliament.
“Had it not been for Congress to oppose the FCRA amendment Bill in the last Parliament session, today this Bill would have become an Act and I don’t know what would have happened to the Christian minority. Congress is very firm on its stand against the Bill and demands that it be totally withdrawn,” Kharlukhi said.
“On this basis I decided to support Congress because if we want to protect ourselves, we have to strengthen Congress there. If Pala is there, there will be 98, there will be 99, another person to fight against this Bill,” he said.
Kharlukhi, who built NPP from 2 MLAs to a ruling party as state president for 17 years since NCP days, refused to blame anyone for his exit.
“When I leave a party, I never blame anybody. A person who leaves his party and blames somebody is stupid, I don’t want to be seen as a stupid person,” he said.
On whether he will join Congress, he said, “Time will tell. When we reach the bridge, we will cross the bridge. I am always patient.”
He also dismissed claims of being sidelined. “I was never sidelined. I left as president on my own feelings. I have been president for 17 years. I thought it was time to give to someone else. I always leave my party when they are in power, but I never betray my party when they are out of power,” he said, recalling how he left UDP in 1998 after winning 7 of 7 seats in Jaintia Hills.
Kharlukhi clarified he did not quit NPP only over FCRA. “I support Pala because of what Congress has done for minorities by opposing this Bill in Parliament, that’s why they could not pass it and had to send it to the JPC. This is a national issue, not a state or regional issue. On national issues you have to look at which party can really counter BJP in Parliament,” he said.
Justifying his stand on Pala’s winnability, he referred to his stand during the reservation roster movement.
“I took a stand against that because if the reservation policy is implemented, the state will be divided into two. If the state is divided, it will never be a state again, like what was done in Kashmir, we will be Union Territory. Land is under central government, home police under central government. What will happen to us tribal minorities here? A sitting Chief Minister is put in jail for six years without any bail and that happened to the Chief Minister of Delhi,” Kharlukhi said.
On charges of corruption and dynasty in the NPP, he said, “It was not me who raised this, it is the VPP who raised it in 2024.”
He said a single MP cannot achieve much in Parliament. “Sending 1-2 MPs to Parliament is of no value. I raised Eighth Schedule, ILP, coal mining, Look South Policy, no result. This is a problem with a party having one MP in Parliament, Lok Sabha has 543 MPs,” he said.
On reviving Congress, he said, “I don’t believe under my leadership, I always believe in collective leadership.”
Asked if he will contest the 2028 Assembly polls, he said, “Let me see when 2028 comes.”
The post Opposed FCRA, Congress can fight BJP in Parliament: Kharlukhi backs Pala for Shillong bypoll appeared first on Hub News.