By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: At a time when the state BJP is witnessing a tussle between its MLAs – AL Hek and Sanbor Shullai – over a Cabinet berth, the HSPDP, which also has two legislators – is confident that they would settle the cabinet berth issue in a mutual way with respect and understanding.
Recently, the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has effected a cabinet reshuffle with James Sangma losing the home portfolio. This was the first reallocation of portfolios after the NPP-led MDA government was formed soon after the Assembly polls in 2018.
In the MDA coalition, the HSPDP has two MLAs – Renikton L Tongkhar and Samlin Malngiang, who currently holds the PHE portfolio.
Sources on the condition of anonymity said that like in the case of the BJP, there was no written agreement between the two HSPDP MLAs on sharing of the Cabinet berth and the two MLAs had decided in the presence of 40-50 witnesses including their close supporters that they would share the berth for a period of two-and-half years each.
Sources said both share a good rapport and Malngiang has assured Tongkhar of vacating the berth after two-and-half years. The sources further confirmed that Malngiang opted to take the Cabinet berth first on Tongkhar’s proposal.
The change of guard in the Cabinet is likely to take place in September-October this year when the MDA Government will reach the halfway mark of its five-year term.
Incidentally, in the case of the BJP legislators, both the MLAs are now waiting for the Central leadership to take a call on the seat sharing issue.
However, UDP which has three ministers in the state cabinet besides the Speaker has no such plans to go for reshuffling. Sources from the UDP said,”There is no such plan to change the cabinet berths in the party as of now”.
The UDP currently has Lahkmen Rymbui, Kyrmen Shylla and Brolding Nongsiej in the cabinet while the party president, Metbah Lyngdoh is the Speaker of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
The PDF, which has four legislators, has also not revealed any plan to share the cabinet berths among the MLAs. Currently, Banteidor Lyngdoh and Hamlet Dohling are the ministers from the PDF in the cabinet.