Deadlock continues at Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council

Ruling alliance reduced to minority as 6 MDCs reiterate stand to withdraw support to EC

A REPORTER

SHILLONG: The deadlock continues at Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) as six Members of District Council (MDCs) have decided to stand by their earlier decision to withdraw support to the Executive Committee (EC) under United Democratic Alliance (UDA) led by Chief Executive Member (CEM) Tainwell Dkhar.

In the meantime, the ruling alliance in KHADC has been reduced to a minority within two months of its formation. Six MDCs of the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) — three from NPP, two independents and one PDF — withdrew support to the UDA coalition, which is leading the KHADC.

The MDCs who withdrew their support include — three NPP MDCs and Executive Members (EMs) Gigur Myrthong, Mitchell Wankhar, and Victor Ranee; People’s Democratic Front (PDF) MDC and Executive Member Macdalyn Mawlong and two independent MDCs — Lambor Malngiang and Latiplang Kharkongor.

With an objective to resolve the issue, the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) convened a meeting last week with the six MDCs who had withdrawn support. However, the MDCs did not turn up at the meeting. On May 3, another meeting was held in which all the six MDCs attended but the deadlock continued and the meeting concluded with no solution.

A second meeting will be held this week between members of the UDA, and the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) to once again discuss the matter.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress — with 10 MDCs in the KHADC — is keeping a close watch on the latest developments as it is unfolding in the district council.

One of the reasons for the problems encountered by the two-month-old Executive Committee is partly due to the special assistance grant of Rs 52 crore awarded by the Centre. Earlier, Malngiang had said that they have been forced to take the drastic steps since the CEM was not paying any heed to the demand of the MDCs to convene a meeting of the UDA to clarify on the special assistance grant awarded by the Centre.

Meanwhile, prior to the second meeting held by the UDA on May 3, KHADC CEM Teinwell Dkhar had said that he was ready to step down for the sake of stability and survival of the ruling coalition — United Democratic Alliance (UDA) — in the Council.

Also read: Meghalaya news