The beautiful state of Meghalaya is witnessing another round of political uncertainty with 18 of the 28 Congress MLAs in the 60-member House demanding ouster of Mukul Sangma as Chief Minister saying he works in an autocratic fashion taking unilateral decisions. The rebels are demanding him to be replaced by D D Lapang.

It was only last April that Mukul Sangma had become CM of Meghalaya after replacing D D Lapang. Mukul Sangma is now in New Delhi after being summoned by Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi.

For Sangma, AICC secretary, in-charge Meghalaya, Dhaniram Shandil and the State party president, Friday Lyngdoh are seen to be in favour of his continuation but former Chief Minister DD Lapang rejected Shandil and Lyngdoh’s assertions. The rebels led by Lapang are demanding a CLP meeting.

Cabinet Ministers who have openly voiced their dissent are Community and Rural Development minister and Frankenstein Momin and Food and Civil Supplies minister, Augustine D Marak.

Other Congress Cabinet ministers are not saying anything officially, but Public Health Engineering minister, Prestone Tyngsong has stayed away from a programme that included the Chief Minister. Similarly, few other Congress Ministers are expressing their covert dissident against Sangma.

In the meantime Meghalaya Opposition leader Conrad Sangma met governor R.S. Mooshahary on Saturday and demanded imposition of President’s rule in the state saying the administration had collapsed. Sangma, told reporters after meeting the governor that for the past two months, the chief minister could not call a cabinet meeting affecting the overall governance of the state.

Sangma also said while the CM and his cabinet members are shuttling between Meghalaya and New Delhi, the people of Garo Hills have been facing enormous hardship, due to the recent storms. No public representatives from the government has visited them.

 

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