SHILLONG: Regional United Democratic Party (UDP) member and veteran politician, Bindo Lanong who was sworn in as MDC of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) on Wednesday said he wanted to be outside the Executive Committee (EC) of the KHADC.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “I want to be outside the EC. Being the Chairman of Committees in the KHADC would be enough.”
Having served as an MDC for 31 years, Lanong said he did not find post of Rajya Sabha MP post appealing and preferred to share space with his UDP colleagues and other MDCs.
He recalled his tenure as an ordinary MDC, leader of the Opposition. He had served as CEM, Deputy CEM, CEM and Chairman of KHADC and has chose to return to the KHADC to serve the cause of the Council.
Asked on the issue of defection in the KHADC, he said the complete solution to the MDCs switching from one party to the other lies in bringing in the provisions of the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
Lanong also pointed out there was a need to give suggestions to KHADC on the proposed Amendment of Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution and rooted for giving more powers to the district council on similar lines as the panchayat system which is under the Eleventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
However, he said discussions should be made on matter regarding sending two representatives from other communities in the KHADC.
“The District Council should be purely tribal body and bringing in people from other communities will conflict with the intention of the pioneers of the Indian Constitution. The Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution felt that it should be purely tribal oriented,” he said.