SHILLONG: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Friday predicted uncertain times for the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) with both sides commanding 14 MDCs each and in the absence of anti-defection law.
Senior UDP leader and nominated MDC, Bindo Lanong, echoed him pointing out that the Executive Committee (EC) suffered from a lack of majority on either side.
Their comments come in the wake of the United Democratic Alliance- led EC falling after the chairman and NPP leader, PN Syiem, cast his deciding vote in favour of the opposition United Democratic Front in the no-confidence motion following a tie. The NPP and UDP are the major partners in the UDA. “It is not that I want to make sure that UDA will continue, but I am talking about the issue of instability. The government’s concern is about the instability in the KHADC. Appropriate recommendation will be made to the Governor, let him decide”, Tynsong told media persons.
He was particularly concerned about what would happen in the event of a financial bill.
“Both sides have 14 MDCs. If they have a financial bill, I do not know how they will pass it. Apparently, this does not augur well for the council”, he said adding the EC could collapse anytime.
Anti-defection law needed
Tynsong harped on the need for Tenth Schedule to deal with defection in the council. “The problem in the council is that there is no Tenth Schedule. Anybody can do anything, hence we have proposed Tenth Schedule in the amendments to the Sixth Schedule”, he said.
As for the action to be taken on the rebel NPP MDCs, who sided with the United Democratic Front (UDF), Tynsong said the party will work as per its Constitution.
UDA complaint
A UDA delegation met the deputy chief minister on Friday to register their complaint on the political scenes starting with the no-confidence motion.
Speaking to the media, Lanong questioned Syiem’s intention to vote with the opposition.
“What was the intention of the chairman? He should not have cast his vote. It shows that the chairman has violated the rules. They (the UDF) have 14 MDCs. How will they perform? The current EC suffers from majority in the House. There will always be instability in the EC and it cannot work well. We have come to report to the government and let the government do its part”, Lanong said.
Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) and veteran politician, Martle Mukhim, pointed out that in a democratic system there is a need for majority and asserted that during the no-confidence motion, there was no majority at all and the chairman cannot be there.
Lanong said that the role of chairman was very biased and partisan as he circumvented the rules as per his whims and fancies.
“Another point is that the chairman is our very own member and he changed his principles and we have come to report on that also”, he said.
Asked why the UDA abstained from voting during the CEM election, Lanong said that it is not important as both the coalitions have 14 MDCs each and that they understood that the chairman has already been partisan.
“The election is one-sided. The whole House was not there”, he said.
