SHILLONG: Following the recent political developments in the State, the State Congress leadership has apprised the party high command in Delhi of the situation arising out of the amendment Bill barring MLAs from holding the post of MDCs, acting on which AICC general secretary V. Narayanasamy will visit Shillong after the GHADC polls on October 12 to assess the situation.
Congress legislators had, on several occasions during and after the passage of the Prevention of Disqualification (Members of the Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya Amendment) Bill, 2015, questioned the timing of implementation of the Bill.
Some Congress legislators had indicated that the ‘principal target’ was party legislator and KHADC Chief Executive Member P.N. Syiem due to the tussle between the KHADC and the State Government on the issue related to empowerment of headmen and the jurisdiction of MUDA in areas beyond the Municipality.
Syiem himself had stated that he was made the target for his efforts to champion the cause of the KHADC. The KHADC chief had recently said that he was never against the party but was critical about the ‘style of functioning of the leadership’.
While all the other seven MDCs in have quit their posts as MDCs, Syiem is yet to resign either as MLA or as MDC.
Syiem had recently said that the Bill was never discussed in the CLP and further stated that on the eve of the passage of the Bill, the chief minister had arranged a dinner party for the MUA-II partners but did not discuss the subject.
Incidentally, the State party leadership has been silent on Syiem’s criticism of both the chief minister and the MUA-II government.
“The matter will be discussed by the AICC general secretary during his visit to Shillong as the high command wants unity in the party,” a state Congress leader said on Sunday.
According to party sources, Congress president Sonia Gandhi is aware of the development and has entrusted the task of ironing out the differences to Narayanasamy.
