Congress MDCs want Malngiang to replace Syiem as CEM
SHILLONG: Dissidence has resurfaced once again in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, with Congress MDCs on Saturday projecting former Deputy CEM and Nongkrem MDC, Lambor Malngiang, as the new Chief Executive Member (CEM), while demanding the removal of incumbent CEM Pynshngain N Syiem.
Party sources on Saturday informed that nine Congress MDCs have lodged complaints against the KHADC CEM to HDR Lyngdoh, Chairman of the ruling Khasi Hills United Democratic Alliance (KHUDA) and Prestone Tynsong, State Forest and Environment Minister.
“In their complaint, the MDCs have also projected Malngiang as the new CEM,” party sources said.
According to the sources, the Congress leadership has already directed KHADC Chairman Fabian Lyngdoh to resign in case Syiem decides not to step down but to face a trial of strength in the House.
Meanwhile, party sources have indicated that the State Congress leadership is unhappy with the KHADC CEM’s stand on the issue of ILP.
According to sources, the Congress leadership is annoyed with Syiem over his statement that the KHADC would prevail upon the State Government to call the pro-ILP NGOs for dialogue to end the ongoing impasse.
“The Congress leaders are also disappointed with Syiem’s decision to hold a consultation meeting with traditional heads to discuss the prevailing situation without consulting the MLAs. He (Syiem) had to call the consultation meeting due to the pressure from the party leadership,” sources said.
Earlier, during the recent KHADC Autumn session, there was a failed attempt to remove Syiem when the resolution on ILP was taken up and defeated in the House.
Syiem would have been forced to resign had the resolution on ILP moved by the Opposition MDCs been approved by the House.
Some Congress and UDP MDCs were absent when KHADC MDC Fabian Lyngdoh had put the motion for voting, sources said, adding that they (MDCs) did it with an aim to bring down the Syiem-led Executive Committee.
The move by the UDP and Congress MDCs to topple the EC would have materialized had the HSPDP MDCs (KP Pangniang and LG Nongsiej) and UDP MDCs (Remington Pyngrope and Teinwell Dkhar) voted in favour of the motion, sources said.
It may be mentioned that Congress MDCs including Lambor Malngiang, Dr Celestine Lyngdoh (Nongpoh), Manstudy Nongrem (Langrin) and Rasor Rani (Mairang) were absent when the motion was taken up for discussion and voting. Out of the 17 MDCs who were present during the voting, six voted in favour of the resolution while 11 voted against it.
Through the resolution the Opposition members had wanted to urge the State Government to implement ILP in the State to check entry of outsiders.