Crisis in KHADC

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, February 27: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), Chief Executive Member (CEM), Adelbert Nongrum today hinted that the members of the All Regiol Parties Alliance (ARPA) will quit as MDCs if the government tries to meddle into the present crisis in the council.

“We are ready to quit and seek fresh mandate from the people,” Nongrum told reporters today.

At present the ARPA which is ruling the KHADC has only 14 members. The Chairperson Teilinia Thangkhiew of the HSPDP is eligible to vote only in case of a tie. But in the present scerio the People’s Democratic Forum (PDF) seems to be in the majority with 15 members with the nomition of former state youth congress president, Gabriel Wahlang.  

Nongrum slammed the state government for Wahlang as the nomited member of the council. Wahlang today morning took oath before KHADC judge S Syiemlieh as the nomited member.

Speaking to media persons at the end of the budget session on Friday, Nongrum said, “I am surprised at the sudden urgency of the government to appoint the nomited member. If it serves their interest then they show political will.”

According to the CEM, the state government is yet to give its consent to important bills like the Village Administration Bill and was yet to act on the proposed amendment to the Sixth Scheduled but went ahead in appointing the nomited member to serve their political need.

The Executive Committee (EC) has not recommended the me of the nomited member even though it has been ruling the council for nearly a year now. “We never really felt the need to nomite a member since with 17 members we thought the coalition would be stable until two of them decided to ditch us,” Executive Member (EM) and HSPDP MDC, PK Pangniang said.

On the other hand, chairman of the PDF, said that the alliance was in no hurry to demand for Administrator’s Rule but will wait for the ARPA alliance to quit on its own for lack of numbers.