SHILLONG, July 13: Amidst loud calls for a meeting of the MDA coordination committee over Saubhagya scam, grapevines suggest that two prominent NPP leaders have threatened to quit the ruling camp owing to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s refusal to divest his elder brother James Sangma of Power portfolio.
What started as a demand from MDA coalition partner, United Democratic Party (UDP), is now threatening to snowball into first major crisis for the NPP.
Although in a “fluid situation” there is no way it can be verified for a fact, a credible political source belonging to one of the coalition partners of the NPP-led MDA coalition, told The Shillong Times on Tuesday that the two senior NPP leaders have served an ultimatum seeking removal of Power Minister James Sangma saying that if the chief minister does not accede to their demand, they are ready to pack their bags and quit the NPP camp.
The source also categorically mentioned that the two NPP leaders might join one of the regional parties supporting the ruling alliance.
Refusing to reveal the names of the two NPP leaders, the source said, “Both of them want James to be removed. One of them has had a longstanding difference with the Power Minister over certain issues relating to the Power department.”
The source also pointed out that most of the prominent leaders of the NPP were tired of the continuous allegations of irregularities in the department and the questionable actions of the Power Minister. These were two of the several reasons over which some senior NPP leaders were keeping away from the press and not forthcoming in clarifying the NPP’s stand over the allegations.
According to the source, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is seized of the matter and is currently under tremendous pressure to find an amicable solution to keep the “dissident” NPP leaders in the party.
The Chief Minister who has already instituted an independent inquiry on the issue has rejected the demand to remove James Sangma as Power Minister and stated that this demand was completely undermining the independent committee.
He has always maintained that the Power Minister has no role to play here as the committee is completely independent and the government does not interfere with MeECL’s functioning as it is an autonomous body.
As per the source the issue had almost died down after the removal of MeECL CMD, Arunkumar Kembhavi but gained prominence after The Shillong Times exposed a scam of Rs 149 crore as revealed in an interim audit report.
Asked about the stand of the coalition partners on the issue, the source said, “Some dare to speak and some don’t while there are some trying to blackmail the government.”
“The coalition itself is riddled with internal friction and everyone is trying to do what they feel is right for their own party,” said the source.
Attempts made to contact senior NPP leaders on the issue remained futile as none of them answered the call on their mobile phone.
