Shillong, Sep 13 : Former Meghalaya Chief Minister Donwa Dethwelson Lapang on Thursday resigned from the Congress, with which he was associated for four decades.
Lapang's resignation is a major blow to the opposition Congress in the northeasten region as it has come ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, and the upcoming Mizoram assembly elections.
In his resignation letter to Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Lapang, 84, noted that he is quitting the party as it has embarked upon a policy of phasing out senior and elderly people.
"In my opinion, it means that services and contributions of senior and elderly people are not useful to the party. Since the spirit and enthusiasm to work for the people is still burning inside me, this restriction made me frustrated and compelled me to be no longer comfortable in the party," Lapang said.
"With my present age and health condition, I have decided to serve the country, my state and its people in the same manner wherever I am," he noted.
The veteran political leader stated that he worked devotedly, leaving no stone un-turned while performing his service for the party, as a "true and disciplined Congress man and always cooperated with the AICC (All India Congress Committee) even to the extent of accepting sacrifices for the sake of unity and strength of the party. ..."
The five-time Chief Minister of Meghalaya did not contest the February 2018 assembly elections but campaigned for the Congress.
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Mathura (UP), May 16 (PTI): As many as 90 Bangladeshi nationals, including many children, were apprehended from Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district on Friday for alleged illegal stay in India, officials said.
They were taken into custody from local brickyards at Khajpur village under the Naujheel police station limits, a senior officer said.
"Regular searches were being conducted throughout the district. During one such operation, police were searching some local brickyards when they came across Bangladeshi nationals working there," SSP Shlok Kumar said.
Giving a break-up, the officer said in all, 35 men, 27 women and 28 children have been taken into custody.
"During interrogation, all of them admitted to being Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in India. They moved to Mathura three to four months back from a neighbouring state. Police are trying to establish their links," the SSP said, adding that their job contractor and other associates are also being questioned.
The officer told PTI that police also recovered some Aadhaar cards from the Bangladeshi nationals, apparently issued on forged documents in some other state.
Further legal proceedings are underway, Kumar said.