Narayanasamy submits report on CM-CEM duel over dual post
From C K Nayak
NEW DELHI: In the wake of the ongoing crisis in Meghalaya over the dual post issue and rights of the traditional heads, Congress president Sonia Gandhi is likely to call both Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and the KHADC chief PN Syiem to end the ongoing stalemate over those highly contentious issues.
This was indicated after AICC General Secretary in-charge of Meghalaya, V N Narayanasamy submitted his report on the state of affairs in Meghalaya to Gandhi here on Wednesday, AICC sources said.
The party is worried that things might go out of hand especially at a time when it is not in power at the Centre and has witnessed unexpected defeats in the states including in the recently-concluded district council polls of Garo Hills.
“Garo Hills District Council poll result is an eye opener for us,” a top AICC leader in charge of the state said.
“If the trend continues till the Assembly elections two years later we might test defeat in the state again,” the leader added.
The AICC is more worried since after a long period the state had seen a stable Government and came back with a record number of seats mostly from Garo Hills but the recent developments threaten to dent its image.
Mukul Sangma could perhaps be the longest serving Chief Minister, sources confided but when it came to issues, the party seems to be in a catch 22 situation in its second term despite having a near majority of its own ironically for some of its own bungling.
Its cup of woes seem to be full with the traditional heads turning against the party in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills and drubbing in the elections and the worsening law and order situation in Garo Hills, sources added.
It is understood that the party does not want to antagonize the traditional heads who are also creation of Congress which ruled the country and the region for most part of the post-Independence era. Now the same traditional heads gearing up against the Congress has raised many eyebrows in the AICC.
Some of the recent judgments of the top judiciary in the state have also made the lingering issues more complex. Interference of constitutional heads has also not solved the problem either.
But more than the traditional heads the tussle within the party over the dual post issue has taken the AICC by surprise. It is a paradox that the party leadership did not intervene at any stage before the controversial bill was passed in the Assembly and are now rushing for a fire fighting drive.
The AICC also remained silent when the CEM raised a banner of revolt against the Chief Minister and resigned from the Chairmanship of Meghalaya Economic Development Council. He had openly accused Sangma of a dictatorial style of functioning.
Now, Shillong MP Vincent H Pala has also joined the ring by accusing the state leadership for trying to cut the CEM to size for his popularity and hard work in the district council. But his critics have defended the actions on the planks of modernizing grassroots level administration and giving every legislator a chance besides the possible adverse court rulings.