SHILLONG: Cabinet Minister A.L. Hek, who carries with him the tag of being ‘a former BJP man’, has his hands full these days playing the role of a negotiator between the Congress led MUA-II Coalition Government in the State and the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre and facilitating meetings of Chief Minister Mukul Sangma with several union ministers in Delhi, besides providing assistance in prevailing upon the Centre to make funds available for development works in Meghalaya.
Sources said that during the tenure of the Congress-led UPA Government, the Chief Minister frequented Delhi since he had easy access to the corridors of power, but with the change of guard, the Chief Minister has assigned Hek to be his ’emissary’ to facilitate his meetings with union ministers.
The Chief Minister is yet to meet any of the BJP ministers in Delhi, but Hek has already held a meeting with Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju.
During an earlier viisit to Delhi, Hek met BJP leader Rajnath Singh before the latter assumed charge as the Union Home Minister.
During his stay in Delhi, Hek also met other union ministers from the BJP, including Smriti Irani, Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Uma Bharati. However, the Chief Minister is still preparing himself to meet them.
Hek’s comfort-level with the central ministers and his easy access to them has even perplexed the State BJP leaders who are yet to get any audience with the central BJP leaders.
Congress party sources, however, said that Hek wants to ensure that he is not dropped from the State Cabinet in case of any reshuffle in future and he is giving an impression to the Chief Minister that he can be instrumental in getting funds from the Centre for development schemes in Meghalaya due to his proximity with the BJP leaders in Delhi.
The Chief Minister’s action of deputing Hek as a facilitator is in stark contrast to his stand of maintaining distance with the BJP leaders in the past.
The Chief Minister had, on several occasions, criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was projected as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the BJP, expecting the return of the UPA at the Centre to be led by Rahul Gandhi, but in vain.
Changing his stand immediately after Modi’s ascension to the Prime Minister’s chair, the Chief Minister had written to the Prime Minister congratulating him and expressing his eagerness to co-operate with the Centre.
Meanwhile, sources have indicated that the Chief Minister, during his proposed meeting with the Union Home Minister and others from the BJP, is likely to take up the unrest in Garo Hills due to militancy. He is also likely to meet the Prime Minister in this regard.
Not joining BJP soon: Hek
Though Hek is coming closer to the BJP leaders at the Centre, he has made it clear that it was unlikely that he will join the BJP soon.
Recently when he was asked about his sudden proximity to the BJP leaders, Hek had stated that he “is still a Congress man”.
However, considering the peculiar political history of Meghalaya which has witnessed numerous instances of party leaders shifting affiliations, Hek can also have a ‘change of mind’ looking at the 2018 Assembly election scenario.
The Pynthorumkhrah constituency represented by Hek had voted more for the BJP candidate Shibun Lyngdoh in the just concluded Lok Sabha polls than Congress candidate Vincent Pala, which could be a cause of worry for Hek.
It was in July, 2009 that Hek joined the Congress from BJP and was later accommodated as Cabinet Minister.
In the 1998, 2003 and 2008 Assembly elections in the State, Hek had contested and won the Pynthorumkhrah seat on BJP ticket. In 2013, he contested and won the election on a Congress ticket.
DPR for beautification of Wahumkhrah, Umshyrpi
Hek on Friday met Union Minister for Water Resources, Uma Bharati, and reiterated the State’s demand for the twin-project of controlling floods and beautification of the Wahumkhrah and Umshyrpi rivers, adds our special correspondent from Delhi.
The Minister also submitted the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Rs. 42.39 crore flood management and beautification programme to the newly-appointed Union Minister. All other necessary clearance has been given for this vital project, he said.
Hek had met her predecessor Harish Rawat when he was the Minister in charge of Water Resources and had submitted the first demand. Even then the Centre had assured to take up the projects on a priority basis.
Under the twin project, the State Government plans to construct proper concrete drains on the small streams which lead to Wahumkhrah and Umshyrpi rivers. The project will also take care of the agricultural lands which are situated along the two rivers as it would address the issue of soil erosion along the rivers.
Flooding of the two rivers create havoc during rainy season every year destroying agricultural land and displacing many people. The basic idea of the project is to streamline the flow of the rivers, reducing stench and increase its carrying capacity during the lean season as well.
Hek left for Shillong after meeting several Union Ministers.
