TURA: In one of the biggest setbacks to the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance where the NPP is in alliance with the BJP and regional parties, its Executive committee in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) has been reduced to a minority after its candidate was defeated by the Congress-led alliance in the election to the post of deputy chairman on Wednesday afternoon.
What was most shocking for the grand alliance was the alleged cross voting by five members from its alliance including BJP MDC Bhupender Hajong who reportedly endorsed the Congress candidate and gave him his vote.
The switching over to the rival camp by the five members, alleged to be Bhupender Hajong, Nripendra Koch, Mark Goera B Marak, Rupert M Sangma and Kenedick S Marak pushed the NPP’s Garo Hills Progressive Alliance from a majority number of 19 to just 13 after another member’s vote was found invalid.
Dramatic scenes were witnessed after the deputy chairman’s election when the Chairman of the GHADC and NPP MDC, Denang T Sangma, adjourned the house sine die without taking up the non-confidence motion moved by the Congress against the ruling dispensation.
Though the NPP led Garo Hill Progressive Alliance have been reduced to a minority in the GHADC, the Chief Executive Member, Dipul Marak, and his Executive Committee has, so far, not given any indication of stepping down.
In a house of 30 members, which included one nominated member, the NPP had expected a smooth sailing in the election to the deputy chairman’s post given that they were, till yesterday, having a majority of 19, not including the Chairman.
The ruling alliance had pitted former deputy CEM Augustine Marak against the Congress’s Mettrinson Momin in the election to the post of deputy chairman.
But the tables were turned when the secret ballot took place on Wednesday.
Opposition candidate Mettrinson Momin secured 15 valid votes whereas the ruling candidate Augustine Marak obtained only 13 votes. One MDC’s vote was found invalid.
The surprise turnaround for the opposition Congress appears to have been after five MDCs from the NPP alliance voted in support of Mettrinson Momin.
Shocked by the turn of events, the treasury benches of the ruling alliance, led by the CEM, walked out of the house before the no-confidence motion could be taken up. As the victorious opposition Congress alliance demanded taking up of the no-confidence motion while the ruling alliance began a walk out, the Chairman announced the adjourning of the house indefinitely much to the protest by the Congress MDCs who accused him of playing to the agenda of the ruling NPP executive committee.