Vincent Pala highlights his work for Shillong constituency

Former Union Minister and Congress candidate for the Shillong Lok Sabha seat, Vincent Pala claimed that he has done enough for his constituency in the last 10-years to be re-elected again. The highways were in shambles when I became MP for the first time in 2009. I have managed to convince all concerned and successfully built and completed the Shillong-Guwahati four-lane road, the Shillong Bye-Pass, Jowai-Silchar highway, ShillongNongstoinTura highway, said, Pala the sitting MP from Shillong seat.

"I have done enough for Shillong constituency in last 10 years as an MP. I have been successful in getting infrastructural projects worth over Rs 8,000 crore," the two time MP told PTI. "My constituency has issues with connectivity and congestion and I have tried my level best to ensure that these are resolved," he said.

Pala said he is very approachable. "I have been approachable as ever. I meet people until as late as midnight and then in the morning again. I have never denied meeting anybody who comes to me," he said. Pala said his priorities this time will be to move to the Government of India to promote tourism in the state by allowing government officials to avail certain percentage of airfare if they travel to the northeast.

Pala, 51, an engineer by profession and a native of Lamyrsiang village in coal-rich East Jaintia Hills district, said: "This election is important for the people of this country as this election is about which party respects your sentiments and which leader is not." The former Union minister alleged that the BJPs politics are hurting the sentiments of people in the country. "People in the North East and in the South are not happy with the direct and indirect imposition (of Hindi)," he said.

The senior Congress leader claimed the tribal people of Meghalaya have decided that they will not vote for the BJP and its allies here.

"People here have decided that they will not vote the BJP and its allies here. The Citizenship Amendment Bill is a real threat. The Tripuris are left a minority in their own state and so are the Lepchas in Sikkim they are heading that way. Tribal indigenous Bodos in Assam are hardly 30-40 per cent in their own Bodoland," he said. Pala claimed that Meghalaya is the next target of the BJP. Election to the Shillong Lok Sabha seat will be held on April 11.

(With inputs from agencies.)