SHILLONG: In the allotment of portfolios following the induction of two new ministers on Friday, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has kept a few departments to himself.
The new portfolios which Sangma will hold now are District Council Affairs, Border Area Development, Home (Jails), Legal Metrology and Administrative Reforms.
According to an official notification, the affected ministers in the reshuffle are HDR Lyngdoh, who lost the General Administration Department (GAD), and Deborah Marak, whose additional portfolio, Printing and Stationery, was taken away.
While the dropped ministers, Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar, had held important portfolios, new minister Celestine Lyngdoh, representing Umsning constituency in Ri Bhoi, was allocated only PHE and Printing and Stationery.
The gainer is another new comer Comingone Ymbon, representing Raliang constituency in West Jaintia Hills, as he got GAD, besides the Power and the Community and Rural Development departments, which were held by Dhar.
However, sources said though the Power Department was allotted to Ymbon, who is yet to be familiarised with the portfolio, the chief minister may oversee the department.
After the swearing-in ceremony, the desire of Ymbon was to get the Agriculture portfolio, which is currently held by the chief minister.
It is yet to be known why the chief minister stripped HDR Lyngdoh of the GAD portfolio and relieved Deborah from the Printing and Stationery department.