‘I have majority support in House to continue as CEM’

SHILLONG: With the two-day autumn session of the KHADC beginning on Tuesday, suspended Congress member and CEM PN Syiem on Sunday asserted that he still enjoys the support of all partners in the KHADC and welcomed his opponents to bring a no-confidence motion against him.
“As leader of the People’s Democratic Front (PDF), I have the support of all 16 partners which makes it clear that I can continue as the CEM of the KHADC”, Syiem said.
He also said that if the Congress MDCs were unhappy they could move a no-confidence motion against him. “But as of now they do not have the required numbers to move such a motion and it is doubtful whether HSPDP members Teilinia Thangkhiew and Pyniaid Syiem will stand by the Congress,” Syiem said.
He also pointed out that in its attempt to suspend him the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) had lost five MDCs.
When asked whether he had received any official communication regarding his suspension, Syiem replied in the negative.
He also reiterated that the dual posts Act was brought in a hurried manner with the intention to remove him, but it resulted in the resignation of Congress MDCs.
Syiem was suspended by the party functionaries on Friday which sparked outrage among his loyalists who subsequently tendered their resignation from the party.
The MDCs who resigned were Antonio War, Victor Ranee, Hadrian Lyngdoh, Albinus Lyngdoh and Banteidor Lyngdoh.
The MPCC has accepted the resignation of Antonio War and Banteidor Lyngdoh while the fate of the other three is yet to be decided.