CM takes dig at Paul, Hek
SHILLONG: In a personal attack on UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma blamed the Shillong West legislator for the downfall of the UDP-led Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA) government in 2009.
“When (Paul) was in charge of the Urban Affairs department he withdrew his support to the MPA because of his tussle with former PHE minister AL Hek over the tender for the implementation of the Phase III of the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (GSWSS) which was funded under the JNNURM,” Dr Sangma said while addressing an election rally at Mawngap on Wednesday.
Stating that the two legislators (Hek and Lyngdoh) had a disagreement over the implementation of the GSWSS Phase III, Dr Sangma said, “He (Lyngdoh) wanted to see the tender being called by the Urban Affairs department. But the PHE Minsiter (Hek) insisted that the tender should be called by his department,” the Chief Minister said.
He said that the MPA government fell in 2009 because “all these guys wanted to extract their pound of flesh.”
“They were not bothered about the State. They were not bothered about the people and I am revealing this with all the facts. The people should ask Paul whether it is not true that when he was in charge of Urban Affairs they were fighting (for calling of the tender of the Phase III of the GSWSS),” Dr Sangma said adding that it is surprising that an urban affairs minister was after a PHE scheme “I want to ask why was Paul so insistent that only the Urban Affairs should call the tender,” Chief Minister said.
“The Centre has been repeatedly questioning the State Government over the delay in submission of the utilization certificates of the funds spent under the scheme,” Dr Sangma said adding that “it is because of the delay created by these gentlemen who claim to be working for the interest of the people that the State is losing a lot of money meant for the implementation of the scheme.
He also slammed Paul for trying to mislead people over the noble intention to strengthen the three autonomous district councils.
“I have been informed that the UDP working president is claiming that the Government wanted to strengthen only the GHADC as per the agreed text of settlement which was signed with the ANVC,” the Chief Minister said adding that this shows the UDP working president “does not read the newspaper.”
“The media from time to time has carried the statement of the Government that the proposed strengthening of the GHADC would also apply to both the KHADC and JHADC. I would urge him (Paul) to get his facts correct before making a false accusation on the intention of the Government,” he said.