Three-day budget session of district council commences today
SHILLONG: P.N Syiem said on Sunday UDP’s plan to write to District Council Affairs Minister Prestone Tynsong on the affairs of the KHADC shows the nexus between a section of UDP leaders and the Congress to oust him as the district council’s chief executive member.
“Writing to the DCA minister shows that they are closely associated with him and the Congress rather than with the coalition of regional parties. It means they are closer with the Congress than the coalition,” Syiem said as he indicated that a few UDP members are hobnobbing with the DCA minister.
Syiem’s jibe came a day before the three-day Budget session of the District Council begins. He said if UDP wants to project a new CEM, it should make its intention clear.
“If they have any objective to project anyone as CEM, then they should come clear,” he said.
Pointing out the dual stand of UDP, which is part of the KHADC executive committee (EC) and the People’s Democratic Forum, Syiem said, “How will the UDP MDCs discuss the nine-point issues on the floor of the House as they have already been briefed at the People’s Democratic Forum (PDF) and EC (meeting),” he said over the phone.
UDP had given a nine-point query to Syiem and asked him to clarify several issues, including the alleged scams and transfer of Council funds to private accounts.
He added that unlike the Congress, which is free to criticise the functioning of the KHADC, the UDP MDCs are members of the PDF coalition and not from the Opposition.
Regarding the sub-committee on KHADC affairs formed by UDP, Syiem said since the panel was constituted by MLAs, they should target the State Government for allegedly misusing financial resources.
“There are many festivals like the Terra Madre and the Meghalaya House scam so why not raise these issues as the State Government has wasted the public exchequer,” he added.
Reacting to UDP’s dissatisfaction over the clarification given by Syiem on the nine-point query raised by the UDP, Syeim said, “Their MDCs have attended the PDF and EC meeting, and during the discussion, they are satisfied with the clarifications from the CEM, so the point is what is the problem for them to clarify to their respective party?”
Commenting on the nine queries raised by UDP, the KHADC CEM said, “All the eight points have been cleared in the executive committee and all the executive members, including Donkupar Sumer, are satisfied. We discussed only eight points as the seventh one relates to Campaign for Change which is not an EC matter.”
However, in the PDF meeting, all the nine points were discussed and clarified and it was decided that the UDP MDCs should communicate to the party high command about what transpired in the meeting.
The three-day KHADC session which begins on Monday is expected to be a stormy one following the numerous murky affairs surrounding it lately.
The vote on account is likely to be presented on the first day of the session.
Syiem said the inquiry report on the alleged illegal transfer of Rs 2 crore to individual accounts will not be tabled on the first day of the budget session. “We will see whether to place it on the second or third day,” he added.