SHILLONG: Seeking to forget the attempt by Sohryngkham MDC Pyniaid Sing Syiem (HSPDP) to conspire with the Congress in a bid to topple his Executive Committee (EC), KHADC CEM Adelbert Nongrum on Wednesday praised the young MDC (Syiem) for his ‘smart political move’ which exposed those involved in the toppling game.
“The main reason for my appreciation of the Sohryngkham MDC is that he has helped me to get the true picture behind this political conspiracy,” the KHADC CEM said, adding, “I had received inputs that some of the Executive Members have given their support in writing to the Congress-led alliance, but I had not been able to establish this fact.”
“However, everything is clear now,” he said.
Nongrum also made it clear that he did not think that the Sohryngkham MDC had betrayed him.
When asked if it was ARPA that had sent the Sohryngkham HSPDP to infiltrate into the Congress-led Opposition camp to get an insight into their political strategy, Nongrum denied any role by ARPA.
“I don’t know the actual reason why he (Syiem) had gone to join the new alliance People’s Democratic Front orchestrated by the Congress. But I know that he is the one who saved the EC by backing out from the Opposition side. This shows his good intention,” Nongrum said.
When reminded that the Sohryngkham MDC had publicly threatened to topple the EC, Nongrum said that Syiem might have made this statement since he was unhappy over certain issues.
“In any coalition, problems like these will be there. But we will try to resolve these problems by making a new beginning,” he said.
Nongrum, however, slammed Mawlai MDC Process T Sawkmie (KHNAM) for questioning his efficiency and incompetency.
He (Sawkmie) talks about the lack of farsightedness of the ARPA leaders. I want tell him that we do not want to be farsighted like him just to serve our own political interest,” he said.
“The people will give a befitting reply to this act of betrayal by Sawkmie who had taken a pledge before the memorial stone of U Tirot Sing not to defect from ARPA,” Nongrum said.
Meanwhile, he said that ARPA will meet soon to decide on the induction of the new EMs in the EC in place of Sawkmie and Independent MDC Grace Mary Kharpuri, who had defected to the newly-formed Opposition alliance.
“We will recommend the names of the EMs within the next two weeks to the State government,” the CEM said.
PDF’s demand unfounded, says Lanong: UDP working president Bindo Mathew Lanong on Wednesday termed as unfounded the demand of the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDF) to suspend the ARPA EC and appoint an administrator since it no longer enjoyed the majority.
“If they felt that they were in the majority then they should have gone ahead with the test of strength,” Lanong said, adding, “But we all know that the opposition had withdrawn the no-confidence motion before voting could take place. This only proves that they have withdrawn the motion for want of majority.”
He also said that the Opposition’s demand for an Administrator in KHADC was uncalled for.
Lanong also lamented that despite passing a resolution in the Assembly in 2010 for introduction of the Anti-Defection Law in the three Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) the Congress government in the State had failed to take up the matter with the Centre.
“It is a pity that the same Government which had passed the resolution for introduction of the anti-defection law is now encouraging defection in the KHADC,” the UDP leader stated.
