PN Syiem steps down as MEDC Chairman

'It's my responsibility to never cooperate with such leadership'

A REPORTER

SHILLONG, Oct 5: Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and sitting Congress MLA PN Syiem openly showed his dissatisfaction on Chief Minister Mukul Sangma’s alleged autocratic style of functioning by putting down his papers as the Chairman of the Meghalaya Economic Development Council (MEDC).

The two time sitting Congress MLA put down his papers with a vociferous words against the Chief Minister whom he termed as a man who had gone all alone in taking decisions on Prevention of Disqualification (Members of the Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya) Amendment Bill, 2015.

The legislation aims at preventing elected legislators from holding dual posts, a point which he has questioned on how an elected member of the district councils come under the ambit.

“I feel it’s my responsibility to never cooperate with such a leadership that had gone all the way alone without consulting all the MLAs,” Syiem stated on Monday 

 Syiem further added, “In my resigtion have I clearly stated that after considering all the facts on the style and functioning of the present leadership under Mukul Sangma I do not see any justification to continue myself as the chairman of MEDC.”

Touching on the amendments to the Bill that was brought and passed by the house amidst the opposition of the MLAs, the Congress CEM said that the leadership under Mukul Sangma in the MUA II government has failed to carry the sentiments, opinions and views of his own colleagues.

“Everything has been done in a very hurried manner without even carrying the confidence of all the members and the intention is that this bill should be made effective from 1st October 2015, which is in fact normally it use to make the bill effective after the assent and published in the Meghalaya gazette,” he said.

He however said that he will still support the MUA II government but he will not cooperate with Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on any political assignments.

“This Government is under the leadership of Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, so how will I cooperate with such a person when he did not even cooperate with me on the Amendment Bill,” he said.

When asked if he wants a change in leadership in the State government, the KHADC Chief said that he will not ask for anything but he will protest on his individual capacity being a congress MLA. “Being a CEM of the congress led coalition in the KHADC I feel that the Chief Minister should have consulted the matter with me first, instead he went ahead with the Amendment Bill without proper discussion first so why should I cooperate with him,” he said.

He stated that his resigtion from the position of Chairman of MEDC is the starts of his Non-cooperation movement against the Chief Minister.

According to him, the government has failed on October 1 to make the Amendment Bill effective and this has sent a wrong message to all the MLAs.

He added, “Based on these incidents I am very confident that all the colleague and MLAs in the cabinet should review their stand on this very issue.”

“The reply from the Election Commission with regards to the dual post is very clear that members of local authority which means the District Council cannot be disqualified as it is not under the state government and what the Assembly did on September 24th was unjustified,” he said adding that the Law department has misguided the people and the Law Minister has failed miserably.

 “As per the Election Commission reply is very clear that the MDCs is not under the state government,” he said. 

He further stated that the government should have brought a resolution to ask the Parliament to make an Amendment on different Article which is a Parliamentary subject and what the State Assembly did on September 24th was unjustified since they have failed to carry the duties as per the provision under the constitution since the District Council is not an office of profit.

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