CM downplays rejig

<p> From Staff Correspondent</p>

<div>Shillong, Aug 4: Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma tried to downplay the assumption that his two Cabinet colleagues – Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar – were dropped due to their alleged anti-party activities. </div>

<div>Speaking to newsmen here on Friday soon after oath-taking ceremony of two newly-inducted Ministers Dr Celeistine Lyngdoh and Comingone Ymbon, the Chief Minister categorically said that the reshuffling is part of the exercise to create a “healthy environment where one can contribute to the society and the State as a whole”. </div>

<div>“Don’t go into assumptions and presumptions. There should have been more similar exercise in the past to create a healthy environment so as to eble us to have more leaders serving the people in the democratic setup,” he remarked.</div>

<div>“In a democracy, the space of responsibility is not just in the Cabinet, it is also outside. And so we need friends and people within the party to be further reassigned with responsibilities of party affairs, strengthening the party and various others challenges that we are confronted during the course of discharging of our responsibilities,” the Chief Minister explained, adding that the two dropped Ministers are expected to don new roles ahead of the 2018 Assembly elections.</div>

<div>The Chief Minister said that the new members of his Cabinet should take this as an opportunity, get acclimatized with the challenges and look forward to working together. The two newly-inducted ministers also said that they will try to give their best in the limited time to perform. Lyngdoh is set to become the Minister of Public health Department (PHED) and Ymbon as Minister of Community and Rural Department (C&RD).</div>

<div>Asked on the role of the two sacked ministers in the party ahead of the polls, Mukul Sangma said that it is up to the party leadership to use their expertise, besides hoping that more ministers resign in order to give more thrust in rejuveting the party before the state polls. </div>

<div>“In fact, I will be more than happy if anyone resigns. I have been suggesting this (resigtion). Ministers do not have time to look after their own constituencies due to obligations to the State,” he said.</div>

<div>On the possible poaching of the ruling party’s legislators by the NPP and BJP, Sangma said this was not a new phenomenon. “It had happened even in 2013, 2014 and 2015 without success. But with 2018 Assembly election around, they are now trying their level best to repeat their act, but they won’t succeed,” he asserted. </div>

<div>When asked about the role of the two Ministers who were sacked, he said that one part of his job now is to reverse the whole process of weeding out anti-Congress forces within. “And that is what the duo were doing,” he claimed. </div>

<div>“There are lots of comprehensive measures currently going on to identify leaders who can contribute towards strengthening the party. We are trying to create a positive perception among the electorate about our party. We cannot continue to carry on with the old approach. We are serious and it is with this seriousness we are working,” he concluded.</div>

<div>Earlier in the day, Lyngdoh and Ymbon were sworn in as Ministers at a small and impressive function held at the Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan here.  </div>

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