SHILLONG: The much awaited election to the post of chief executive member of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), which had fallen vacant following the resignation of PN Syiem, could not be conducted on Thursday as Chairman LG Nongsiej also resigned from his post. The election will be held on Friday.
NPP MDC H S Shylla informed the media on Thursday that the MDCs received information from the Secretariat about the change in date.
“The election could not be conducted as the Chairman LG Nongsiej resigned. It was around 10 am when his resignation letter was received,” Shylla said.
On Wednesday, Grace Mary Kharpuri and Shylla filed their nominations from the People’s Democratic Alliance and the Khasi Hills Democratic Alliance, respectively.
The office of the KHADC’s legislative wing could not conduct proceedings and the council secretary had to write to the District Council Affairs Department informing about the impasse, Shylla said.
Later in the evening, the governor appointed HSPDP MDC Teilinia Thangkhiew as pro-tem chairperson.
The NPP MDC complained that the situation in the KHADC was made worse due to the absence of a deputy chairman as the leadership under former CEM PN Syiem created a difficult situation.
However, amid the drama on Thursday, it was the KHDA that had some reason to cheer.
The strength of the KHDA formed by rebel MDCs increased to 18 with the support of KHNAM MDC Adelbert Nongrum and People’s Democratic Front MDC Morning Mawsor, who defied the party’s diktat to support Kharpuri.
On the other hand, Nongrum gave conditional support to the alliance saying that he was against NOC to road projects leading to mining of uranium. He also said KHADC should work together with Hima Mylliem for the relocation of settlers at Sweepers’ Lane (Them Metor).
He added that KHDA should advertise different vacant posts in the council to regulate trading licence for non-tribals and to seriously consider the Supreme Court order of 2006 that stated that any tribal woman married to a non-tribal will lose the status of Scheduled Tribe.
Nongrum gave a deadline of two months for KHDA to fulfil the conditions. He also asked KHDA to appoint him as chairman of the committee on amendment of election process of MDC.
Shylla slams ex-chairman
Shylla questioned the sudden resignation of Nongsiej saying he could have waited till the election, which would have been over in 15 minutes.
“Nongsiej himself informed the House on July 10 and announced that the filing of nomination will be on July 11 and the election would be held on July 12,” Shylla said.
Asserting that the Executive and the Legislative are “headless”, Shylla said everything was planned.
“What is this that the PDF has done? It was intentional on their part to create this logjam. We have filed the nomination, the scrutiny was also done. It was all intentional. If people resign like this even without any urgent reason to do so, they should resign from the post of MDC too,” he added.
Replying to a query, he said Nongsiej was incompetent and neither understands nor follows the rules. “He listens only to the voice of the CEM.”
