SHILLONG: Meghalaya, which is beset with internal issues, is running without a full-fledged Governor for almost four months.
It was on January 6 this year that Keshari Nath Tripathi was sworn in as the Governor of Meghalaya besides holding the additional posts in West Bengal and Bihar.
Later, on April 4 Tripathi was sworn-in as the Governor of Mizoram.
The issues confronting the state include the fall out of the High Court ruling on headmen, Cabinet decision to impose Administrator’s rule in KHADC, the extension of tenure of GHADC and the worsening law and order problem in Garo Hills.
While the State Government is yet to fully address these issues, the long absence of Tripathi, who also looks after three states-West Bengal, Bihar and Mizoram has added to the problem as the aggrieved parties are unable to meet him.
The Governor is the constitutional head of the state, but the post has also been politicized with BJP-led NDA removing those Governors appointed by the previous Congress-led UPA Government.
K K Paul, who was appointed as Meghalaya Governor by the erstwhile Congress-led UPA Government, was transferred and posted as Governor of Uttarakhand, and subsequently Tripathi got the Meghalaya assignment in addition to other states .
Paul’s tenure as Meghalaya Governor was from July 1, 2013 to January 6, 2015, just one and half years. Commenting on the current situation, former Deputy Chief Minister and United Democratic Party leader Bindo Lanong said that the trend of appointing one Governor for more than one state is not practical.
He also alleged that Meghalaya is being given step motherly treatment by the Centre as for so many months the State is without a full-fledged Governor.
“If an officer goes on leave, someone else can do his job, but no one else can do the job of a Governor,” Lanong, said while adding that the earlier practice of appointing one Governor for one state was good enough.
“Everybody is missing in the State at the moment,” Lanong said in a lighter vain as earlier there were reports of long absence of the Chief Minister.
Echoing similar views, the convener of Mait Shaprang Movement and RTI activist, Michael Syiem said that the Governor has to look into proper governance and administration of the State as there are so many issues confronting the State which require immediate attention of the Governor.
“We should have a full fledged Governor in the state at the earliest,” he said.
The political parties, pressure groups and others in the State are eagerly waiting for an audience with the Governor following the High Court ruling on headman and also to air concerns over the “arbitrary extension” of the term of GHADC and the cabinet decision to impose Administrator’s rule in KHADC.
The last time Tripathi visited Meghalaya was during the budget session to address the House on March 9. On the same day, both the Government and the Opposition had met the Governor separately making claims and counter claims regarding the political crisis in the KHADC
