By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: With the Congress-led Government in Meghalaya completing six months in office under Dr Mukul Sangma, all is not well within the party as there are signs of dissidence waiting for an outburst.
Dr Sangma continues his term apparently in a smooth manner, but there is dissension both within the party and the Government, Congress sources said.
The party units in the majority Khasi-Jaintia Hills are upset over the Chief Minister’s recent remarks that performance of Congress has gone down in Khasi-Jaintia Hills while it is becoming stronger in Garo Hills under his leadership.
The number of Congress seats in Khasi-Jaintia Hills has gone down from 21 to 16 in the last Assembly polls while it has gone up to a record high from 7 to 13 in Garo Hills, Dr Sangma had said. But more importantly he attributed this poor show of party in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills to his detractors hinting at DD Lapang- Vincent Pala combine.
Interestingly, the Chief Minister’s outburst came in reply to a question about wild rumours about his health conditions. The 47-year-old doctor from Garo Hills was suffering from acute back pain and was undergoing treatment in the national capital.
When contacted, the party circles on condition of anonymity admitted the decline of the party is the reason for which Congress lost some seats and thus failed to get a majority on its own. But at the same time, some of the sure seats in Garo Hills like that of a former Cabinet minister were also lost because the Chief Minister denied him party ticket, they pointed out.
Secondly, number of MLAs from an area never determines the leadership, the dissidents say adding instead of accusing the opposition parties the Chief Minister is raising accusing fingers at his own party men.
During Dr Sangma’s first term most of the party MLAs were not with him nor he has the numbers now, they said.
When Dr Sangma became the Chief Minister for the second term, he did not have the majority, but it is the AICC leaders who wanted him to remain in power for the rest of the tenure. This time too, the trial of strength through head counting was stopped midway at the instance of some very senior leader influencing the AICC, they said.
Even with reduced numbers in Khasi-Jaintia Hills, Lapang had majority MLAs with him but some very top leader of Congress influenced the AICC for Dr Sangma because he virtually “finished” his bête noirie Purno Sangma’s political career in the Garo Hills.
It is a different matter that voters were highly confused with NPP’s ‘Book’ symbol while NCP at the instance of Sharad Pawar and with Dr Sangma’s help fielded candidates with ‘Clock’ as symbol in each constituency.
This was substantiated when NCP extended unconditional support to Congress in the post-poll scenario and its leader Sanbor Shullai became Deputy Speaker for a second term. None of the eleven Independents got any berth in ministry or such position.
Now, two factors have added fuel to revival of dissident activities- Dr Sangma’s unilateral style of functioning and his long absence from the State on health grounds. Dr Sangma continues to work as a one man army and ministers let alone parliamentary secretaries or MLAs do not have any say or power.
Since the Chief Minister also holds the portfolio of Finance, most of the files have to go to him and most of the ministers or parliamentary secretaries have no say on even minor subjects within their departments. In the absence of any power they are unable to face their electorate and supporters, they said.
Dr Sangma’s long absence from the State and his style of functioning has affected the work with many files pending, the dissidents claim. On the other hand the general law and order situation in the State, especially in Garo Hills, has gone from bad to worse with many serious incidents like killing of non-tribal miners being reported.
Dr Sangma had always justified his frequent trips to Delhi mostly on important meetings like Chief Ministers’ conference, Planning Commission’s meeting and meeting with Cabinet ministers. Files were also cleared from national capital and even wherever he goes, either home or abroad, sources said. The dissidents allege that even most of the cabinet ministers are not able to function independently within their departments. In many cases, the orders of such cabinet ministers have been reversed and important meetings of their departments are taken in their absence, sources said. (with inputs from our New Delhi correspondent)