SHILLONG, Aug 8: Days after BJP leader Sanbor Shullai had made his way into the Cabinet replacing party leader AL Hek, there are now murmurs in the political circles that a section of People’s Democratic Front (PDF) leaders favours a similar elevation of party MLAs Jason Sawkmie Mawlong and Gavin Miguel Mylliem.
The PDF is holding discussions if the duo could be appointed as Cabinet ministers. Currently, Banteidor Lyngdoh and Hamletson Dohling represent the party in the Cabinet.
Mawlong and Mylliem are keen to take over responsibility as Cabinet ministers, party sources said. They are trying to impress upon the party leadership that they should get an opportunity.
However, the party leadership apparently wants Lyngdoh and Dohling to continue.
There was no seat-sharing agreement among the PDF’s four MLAs when the party decided to be a part of Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government in 2018, the party sources said.
Back then, the PDF’s central executive committee had decided that Lyngdoh and Dohling should take oath as ministers.
Lyngdoh, who is also the PDF president, had earlier rejected speculations on possible sharing of the two Cabinet berths. He had expressly stated that the PDF representatives in the Cabinet would remain the same.
The United Democratic Party (UDP), an MDA component, is yet to discuss the issue.
UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh said the party has no plan for a reshuffle of Cabinet berths. He said the three MLAs – Lahkmen Rymbui, Kyrmen Shylla and Brolding Nongsiej – will continue to represent the party in the Cabinet. The UDP has seven MLAs.
Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma had earlier stated that he had conveyed to all MDA constituents that there was an allotted quota of Cabinet berths for each party supporting the alliance and the parties would nominate the names of MLAs based on the quota.
He had made it clear that his National People’s Party had no plans of reshuffle of its members in the Cabinet.
