UDP accuses government

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, February 28: The United Democratic Party (UDP) has questioned the Congress led MUA government for its alleged breach of convention by nomiting member who has joined the opposition bench instead of the treasury bench in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC). The State government nomited a congress man Gabriel Wahlang as the nomited member two days back. This has added to the political instability in the KHADC after two members of the regiol parties led All Regiol Party Alliance (ARPA) defected to the congress led alliance. With Wahlang nomition, the numbers of the ruling and opposition bench in the KHADC house of thirty stands at fifteen by fifteen. Questioning the timing of the nomition, the state General Secretary of the UDP, Allantry Dkhar told newsmen on Saturday, “This is a move of the state government to de-stabilise the executive committee of the regiol alliance”.

“The Government is misusing its authority to de-stabilise the present executive committee of the regiol party alliance,” Dkhar said while citing of the precedence where a nomited member has always been the person who support the ruling bench.

“Even if the government thought it is legally right, it’s the political ethics that comes under scrutiny”, stated the UDP General Secretary, besides questioning the justification made by the state Minister of District Council Affairs (DCA) HDR Lyngdoh.

The State Minister of DCA said that the government has taken the decision to nomite a member to the vacant seat after the two Executive Committees headed by Ardent Basaiawmoit and Adilberth Nongrum failed to me a member to fill the vacant seat for nearly a year.

However, Dkhar said, “There was no communication from the Government.”

He was evasive in replying to queries on why did the ruling alliance in the KHADC failed to recommend the me. Well placed sources said that the delay is due the failure the three regiol parties to arrive at a consensus on the mes. Each party advocated for their own party functiories.