Nongtdu set to lead JHADC
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Hambertus Nongtdu was on Wednesday unanimously elected the new Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) leader of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC), a move seen as a precursor to end the months-old animated suspension of the Council.
However, only 15 Congress MDCs turned up for the all-important meeting convened by Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president Friday Lyngdoh.
Commenting on the absence of 12 MDCs, Lyngdoh said, “The MPCC had issued notices to all the 27 MDCs but we don’t know why the other 12 did not turn up.”
He, however, said the absence of the 12 MDCs was an indication that they do not have any problem with the party decision to elect Nongtdu to lead the Council as the CEM.
The presence of only 15 MDCs at the meeting may be a cause of ‘minor’ concern for the Congress as the party needs the support of at least 16 MDCs in the 30-member House to form the next EC.
“Hambertus needs to win the confidence of the other 12 MDCs who were absent today,” the MPCC president said.
As a next step to form the EC, the MPCC would write to the District Council Affairs department to remove the Administrator’s Rule from the JHADC which was imposed on April 1 due to differences among Congress MDCs and the demand of change of leadership by the Hambertus Nongtdu-led group.
Lyngdoh also informed that the party has decided to create a ‘new’ post of Deputy CEM in the Executive Committee.
Prominent among those who skipped the MPCC meeting were ousted CEM Lamdibok Sumer, Mongol Tyngkra, Amos Dkhar and Obil Kyndait.