Teilinia creates history

SHILLONG: HSPDP Mylliem MDC Teilinia Thangkhiew has scripted history by being the first woman to be elected as the Chairperson of the KHADC on Thursday.

The election of Thangkhiew was not without a hiccup, however, as two of the votes of the UDP MDCs were declared invalid by East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal, who conducted the election.

Sources revealed that the two UDP MDCs whose ballot papers were rejected were of Mawthadraishan-Pariong MDC HB Nongsiej and Umsning MDC Donkupar Sumer.

Nongsiej’s ballot paper was rejected on the ground that he had ticked twice outside the specified box to select the two candidates while the ballot paper of Sumer was rejected as he had forgotten to sign on it.

According to sources, another ballot paper of Congress MDC from Umroi Albinus Lyngdoh had a problem since he had written his name in small letters instead of capital letters as specified.

However, after consulting with both KHUDA-II chairman Pynshngain N Syiem and ARPA chairman Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, Goyal declared the vote as valid.

Out of the total 29 votes, Thangkhiew got 15 votes while her opponent and KHUDA-II nominee Manstudy Nongrem secured 12 votes.

Interestingly, NCP MDC Sanbor Shullai, who is unwell and hospitalized, left the hospital briefly to take part in the election and also took oath of office before the election started.

Meanwhile, All Regional Parties Alliance (ARPA) chairman Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit filed his nomination for the post of Chief Executive Member (CEM) of KHADC on Thursday.

Elated at being elected, Thangkhiew in her maiden speech as the chairperson of the Council said that she was really happy that members of the House had reposed their faith on her to be the new chairperson of the Council especially at this hour when the world talked about gender equality and women empowerment.

“I promise I would try to do justice to the responsibility you have shouldered upon me. I assure that I would not be impartial to any the members while presiding over the business of the House,” she said.

“Let us show that politics is not cheap and dirty, but a mission to serve the people. Let us show that as members of this House we will not need laws on discipline… but it is inherent in us,” the newly-elected chairperson said.

Congratulating the new chairman, members of the House hailed her election as a historic moment for the KHADC and expressed the hope that she would do justice to her work by being impartial irrespective of party affiliations. They were confident that as a woman and a mother, Thangkhiew would put the House in order.

“I am really happy to be part and parcel of this historic moment. I am fully confident that she (Thangkhiew) would be able to do full justice to the task which has been given to her,” ARPA chairman and HSPDP MDC Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said.

KHUDA-II chairman and Congress MDC Pynshngain N Syiem also congratulated Thangkhiew for being the first woman to become the chairman of the Council.

Women members of the KHADC— Grace Mary Kharpuri and Rona Khymdeit-also congratulated Thangkhiew and said that women have an important role in the district council.

“A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down,” Kharpuri quoted a proverb.

CEM post: The special session of KHADC for the election of both the CEM and the Deputy Chairman would be held on Saturday while the deadline for filing of nominations would expire at 12 noon of Friday. Congress MDCs have left it to the wisdom of its party leaders to decide if they were going to contest the post of CEM and Deputy Chairman.

“I filed my nomination today,” Basaiawmoit, who belongs to HSPDP, said adding that ARPA had decided to give the post of Deputy Chairman to the UDP, being the second largest party in the alliance.

“We have left it to the UDP to decide whom they would like to nominate for the post Deputy Chairman,” ARPA chairman said while also informing that they were going to file their nomination for the post of Deputy Chairman on Friday morning after the UDP decides its candidate.

Congress Parliamentary Party leader and KHUDA-II chairman Pynshngain N Syiem, senior MDC from Sohiong HDR Lyngdoh and senior party leader Prestone Tynsong would take final call on whether Congress would contest for the two posts, party sources informed.

“Our party leaders would be intimating all the party MDCs about their decision on Friday morning,” Congress sources added.