MLAs asked to refrain from joining Government

HSPDP directive

From  Our Staff Correspondent

Shillong, March 5: A day before the swearing-in of the non-Congress Government in Meghalya, the rumours that are making the rounds that the UDP and the HSPDP may pull out of the ministry formation turned out to be partially true.  The Hill State People’s Party (HSPDP) Central Executive Committee (CEC) has issued directive to its two newly elected legislators to stay away from the new Government due to the presence of the BJP.

The United Democratic Party (UDP) with six members, however, appears to be firm in its stand to stay with the political alignment to be headed by the tiolist People’s Party (NPP) alongside the People’s Democratic Front (4),the BJP (2) and an independent member. Dismissing all gossip as baseless, the General Secretary of the UDP Allantry Dkhar said on Monday, “I have been told by our party president and the leader of the Paralimentary party that the party is committed to the cause of keeping the Congress away”, adding, “there is no second thought on this issue.”

NPP leaders, Conrad K Sangma, James Sangma and Prestone Tynsong met the president of the UDP Donkupar Roy during the day before Allantry Dkhar reiterated the commitment on Monday evening.  NPP leader James K Sangma during an interview with The Sentinel said, “The 34 elected legislators from the non-Congress party are intact and we will go to the Raj Bhawan on Tuesday for the swearing-in ceremony”. 

However, in a late evening turn of events, the HSPDP which is part of the UDP pre-poll alliance decided to restrain its legislators to be part of the new Government. This was the decision of the Central Executive Committee (CEC); it does want to be part of a Government of which the BJP is part. The HSPDP is expected to get one ministerial berth.

Notwithstanding the HSPDP highest body diktat, sources said that the two HSPDP legislators showed no signs of adherence to the CEC directive. They were seen to be camping at the UDP president’s residence after meeting their own party supremo Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit.

Another sources in the BJP said that there is a squabble on who among the two legislators should be part of the new dispensation. Both Sanbor Shullai and Alexander Hek have been MLAs several times. 

Nevertheless, without the HSPDP, the Conrad Sangma-led Government will be down by two but will still cross the half way mark.