SHILLONG: The People’s Democratic Front (PDF) has now left it to the wisdom of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to take a call on the party’s demand to strip James Sangma of the Home portfolio.
Earlier, Sports and Youth Affairs and Agriculture Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh, who is also the president of the PDF, an ally in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), had admitted that the issue regarding James was discussed both in the Cabinet as well as in the alliance and the party is of the view that he is not able to handle the law and order situation in the state.
Speaking on the matter, another Cabinet Minister and PDF leader, Hamlet Dohling said, “Whatever problem we have as stated by our president, we have expressed in our meeting with the chief minister and now it is up to him to take a call on the matter. We have already expressed what we have in our mind.”
Pressure is mounting on the chief minister either to drop his brother or strip him of the Home portfolio as even BJP leader and senior Cabinet Minister, AL Hek, has admitted that there is a serious discontentment among the MDA ministers on the issue.
The MDA ministers are not happy with the style of functioning of James as they say that the Home minister has not been able to stop illegal coal mining.
However, Conrad has given a clean chit to his brother by denying any sort of illegal transportation of coal while exuding confidence that the issues in the MDA would be resolved through discussions.
