SHLLONG: The beleaguered Congress in Meghalaya has received yet another blow with its Minister Comingone Ymbon resigning from the Cabinet on Monday only four months after his induction.
Ymbon, the two-time MLA from Raliang, West Jaintia Hills, is set to join NPP.
The sudden development comes at a time when the Congress-led MUA-II government is preparing for the Assembly session from Friday, the last one before the state goes to the polls in February next year.
The Congress is already afflicted by desertions and the plan of some senior leaders, including party chief DD Lapang, to opt of the race, has further weakened it.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma will have a difficult time during the upcoming session to ensure majority as a no-confidence motion can lead to collapse of the government since many rebel Congress legislators and Independents may vote against him.
On August 4, the chief minister inducted Ymbon and Celestine Lyngdoh in the Cabinet after dropping Sniawbhalang Dhar and Prestone Tynsong.
Ymbon held the portfolios of GAD, Power and Community and Rural Development.
In his one line resignation letter addressed to the chief minister, Ymbon said he was resigning as minister on personal ground.
The chief minister was away in Delhi when Ymbon sent his resignation letter to the former’s office in the Secretariat.
The chief minister, who was to arrive on Monday night, will have no other choice but to accept his resignation.
Though Ymbon cited personal ground as the reason to quit the post, he told a news agency that he was not happy with the style and functioning of the chief minister.
He said the chief minister was taking unilateral decisions without consulting him though he was holding major departments like Power and Community and Rural Development.
In fact, Ymbon was a rebel Congress legislator in the past when dissidents made a move to topple the Mukul Sangma-led ministry.
Following this, the chief minister had assured Cabinet berth to him two and a half years ago.
Prior to the exit of Ymbon, other Congress legislators who had decided to join NPP include Sniawbhalang Dhar, Prestone Tynsong, Ngaitlang Dhar and Rowell Lyngdoh. Besides, the morale of the Congress is low after MPCC chief DD Lapang, deputy chief minister RC Laloo and Health Minister Roshan Warjri opted out of the fray.
The first rebellion in the Congress was from KHADC chief PN Syiem for which he was expelled.
In addition, former parliamentary secretaries and Independent legislators Robinus Syngkon and Rophul Marak had quit the MUA-II coalition while other Independent MLAs Stephanson Mukhim and Hopeful Bamon, who were supporting the MUA-II government, will also join NPP.
