CEM confident of retaining post
SHILLONG: Asserting that he still enjoys support of majority of the members in Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP), KHADC CEM PN Syiem attributed the current talk surrounding the demand for his removal as mere misunderstanding among the party MDCs.
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday, Syiem said that there is no division within the CPP in the KHADC.
“We would resolve the differences (if any) amicably during the CPP meeting to be held at MPCC president DD Lapang’s residence on Thursday,” Syiem said adding that he will be happy to step down if majority of the party MDCs express displeasure with his leadership.
When asked about the petition submitted by the nine MDCs to District Council Affairs Minister HDR Lyngdoh demanding his removal, Syiem said that he is officially not aware of any such development.
“If anything has been submitted unofficially, I am not aware of it… I have come across the petition of the MDCs only in media reports,” Syiem said.
It may be mentioned that there are indications that the KHADC would continue to have Syiem as the CEM and the CPP meeting would ask the MDCs to prepare themselves for the upcoming District Council elections scheduled for early 2014.
Denying any misappropriation of funds in relation to the construction of the two-room guest house at Nongpoh, Syiem said that the full amount of Rs 54 lakh which was earmarked for the project has been spent.
“Besides the two rooms, there is dining room, kitchen, bathroom, staircases etc. in the guest house,” he said. On the Khasi Heritage Village at Mawphlang, he said that they are yet to clear the final payment since the engineers are yet to complete the inspection.
Replying to another query, Syiem said that he has neither supported nor opposed the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP). “I have only requested the Government to initiate dialogue with the NGOs to end this stalemate. This is not my personal opinion but the stand of the Executive Committee as a whole,” the KHADC CEM said.