SHILLONG, July 27: In a move that has come as a surprise to many, South Shillong BJP legislator, Sanbor Shullai was on Tuesday sworn in as a Cabinet Minister in place of party biggie and Health Minister, Alexander Laloo Hek.
Governor Satya Pal Malik administered the oath of office and secrecy to Shullai at Raj Bhavan.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, Cabinet Ministers and senior government officials were among those present.
Hek did not attend the programme at Raj Bhavan.
Sangma said there was an agreement that the two BJP MLAs will serve as a Minister for a period of two and half years each.
He said the discussion on the sharing of the ministerial berth was held in front of senior BJP leaders, including former Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam, former Meghalaya in-charge Nalin Kohli, former BJP state president Shibun Lyngdoh and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma during the formation of Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government in 2018.
Sangma said the BJP’s incumbent state president Ernest Mawrie assumed charge when the period of two and half years was completed last year. He was not privy to the 2018 agreement, Sangma explained.
“As the CM, I had decided not to interfere in the internal affairs of the BJP and left the issue of ministerial berth sharing to the party,” Sangma said.
He said this was the reason why he had not effected a reshuffle of the Cabinet even after the completion of two and half years of his government. “He (Shullai) had said on many occasions that he should be inducted into the Cabinet according to the 2018 agreement. Recently, I received a letter from Mawrie who said the agreement should be honoured. This is being done based on this letter,” the CM said.
He ruled out a similar reshuffle of the ministers of MDA allies United Democratic Party and People’s Democratic Front. He said they had no such agreement.
“It is for the parties to decide if they would like to nominate a new face in the Cabinet,” Sangma said.
He also ruled out a reshuffle of the National People’s Party ministers.
He said the decision on allotment of portfolio to Shullai will be taken in a few days. Shullai said he is not eying any particular portfolio.
“It is the CM’s prerogative. I will be happy with whatever portfolio is allotted to me. My main objective is to continue with extending my service to the people of the state,” he said.
Replying to a question that he had once agreed to allow Hek to continue for full term, Shullai said he is ready to comply with any directive of the party’s leadership, indicating the decision was made by the central leaders.
Hek has always maintained that he will abide by any decision of the central leadership.
Shullai had earlier stated that the party’s central leaders had agreed to recommend his name for the Cabinet berth once Hek would complete the two-and-a-half year term. Shullai will now get about a year and a half to work as a minister before the 2023 elections.
