KHNAM attacks Sawkmie
SHILLONG: KHADC CEM Adelbert Nongrum has welcomed the PDF offer to work together by forming an all-party Executive Committee (EC) for overall interest of the Council.
“I am happy with the Opposition alliance’s offer. It is not a bad idea to have an all-party Executive Committee (EC) in the Council,” Nongrum said while talking to newsmen on Tuesday.
He said that even during the tenure of the former CEM Pynshngain N Syiem there was an all-party EC.
“ARPA is open to such an offer if the Opposition alliance gives an unconditional support to the present EC. The Opposition alliance should give in writing if they really want to have an all-party EC,” KHADC CEM said.
Nongrum, however, has some reservations in making Mawlai MDC Process T Sawkmie a part of such an arrangement.
“Sawkmie will be the part of the scheme of things only if he gives an assurance in writing that he will not switch side in future,” he said.
Earlier, PDF chairman Pynshngain N Syiem had made statement that the opposition is not adamant to the idea of having an all-party EC for the sake of stability in the Council.
Sawkmie under fire: Meanwhile, KHNAM has alleged that Sawkmie switched allegiance to the Opposition Alliance after he failed to convince the Executive Committee to give ‘green signal’ to the proposed uranium mining in West Khasi Hills.
“Sawkmie along with some Congress leaders has lobbied in favour of uranium mining. But none of the MDCs from ARPA supported this move,” KHNAM president Pyndapborthiaw Saibon told newsmen after a meeting of his party here on Tuesday.
According to him, the present EC under Adelbert Nongrum  is yet to give an NOC to the state government for handing over of the 20 kilometers road from Wahkaji to Mawthabah to the Ministry of Road Transport for implementing its Rs 324 crores project from Nongstoin to Mawthabah road.
The KHNAM president also claimed that the Congress wanted to topple the present EC to take over the helms of affairs in the Council so that they could speed up the process to facilitate the uranium mining.
“Majority of them will be benefitted if the uranium mining project takes off,” he said.
He also accused that Sawkmie has not only betrayed the ARPA and KHNAM but also tried to betray the indigenous community.
“We also leave it to the wisdom of the people of Mawlai to judge the action of this MDC,” the KHNAM chief said.