MDA stable after reshuffle, says Prestone

SHILLONG: Deputy Chief Minister and NPP national vice president Prestone Tynsong has maintained that the NPP-led MDA coalition is stable.
The statement assumes significance as Chief Minister Conrad Sangma effected a cabinet reshuffle recently.
“Everything is in order with the MDA government and we don’t have any problems. We are going smooth and will ensure political stability, Tynsong said.
He said this in reply to a question whether things are alright within the MDA coalition as few of its allies were earlier discontented over the issue of illegal transportation of coal and the alleged failure of the then Home Minister James Sangma to tackle it effectively.
According to sources, many, not just from the allies but within the NPP itself, were unhappy over the functioning of a few of the ministers.
Pointing out that the chief minister has already done the reshuffling of few of the departments, Tynsong said, “Right now, the MDA government is sailing through very smoothly”.
“I am sure that collectively, we will try and ensure that stability is there and serving the people in the state is more important than anything else,” he added.
The chief minister had stripped James of his Home portfolio and allotted it to Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui.
The change of portfolio came after allegations of James not being able to handle the issue of illegal coal transportation and mining effectively came to the fore.