SHILLONG: Finally, succumbing to pressure from the MDA coalition partners on the coal racket issue, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday stripped James Sangma of his Home portfolio.
Lahkmen Rymbui of the UDP is the new Home minister.
The state government on Tuesday night notified the reallocation of portfolios.
According to the notification issued by Chief Secretary MS Rao, James will hold additional charge of Taxation and Information and Public Relations besides other departments – Power, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs & Law – which he is currently holding. The portfolios of Home (Jails), Home (Passports) and District Councils were also taken away from him.
The taxation portfolio was earlier with the chief minister.
Cabinet Minister AL Hek from the BJP will now look after Home (Jails) and Home (Passports) in addition to the Health & Family Welfare and Arts & Culture departments.
However, Hek lost the Information and Public Relations portfolio.
Though there were media reports that the chief minister will keep the Home portfolio with him, he allotted the department to Rymbui in addition to his portfolios of Forest and Environment, Border Area Development and Education.
PDF Minister Hamlet Dohling will look after the District Council Affairs department in addition to his portfolios of Urban and Municipal Affairs and Information Technology.
The chief minister was under pressure from the MDA partners to take action against the Home minister for his inability to control illegal mining of coal and transportation even as the former was optimistic that discussions with the partners would amicably resolve the issue.
Though the chief minister had proposed more discussions within the MDA to end the crisis, a decision was finally taken to reshuffle the portfolios.
Different political parties supporting the MDA have already conveyed their resentment over the style of functioning of the Home minister, who is accused of not doing much to stop the illegal mining and transportation of coal in the state.
The ministers from the United Democratic Party, People’s Democratic Front and Bharatiya Janata Party had expressed their reservation against James continuing as the Home minister.
The MDA partners are unhappy over the manner in which the entire issue of illegal coal mining and transportation is being handled as there have been several reports about seizure of coal-laden trucks in the state while the chief minister continues to be in denial mode over the allegations.
