TURA, Jan 27: The tussle between the NPP-led GHADC MDCs and Chief Executive Member (CEM), Benedic Marak, continued unabated with the MDCs, who were unceremoniously removed from their chairmanships, today asserting that they resigned on their own accord and were not removed.
The reason, as put forward by the MDCs, is the lack of faith in the current leadership of the GHADC under CEM, Benedic Marak.
On January 25, Benedic had reportedly removed Linekar K Sangma (chairman of the Garo Hills Growers Association), Sengchim Sangma (chairman of the Planning and Advisory Board) and independent MDC, Aktar Ali in what was a dare against his own party, the NPP, with whom he has had a massive fall out.
Their removal has precipitated widespread furore in the NPP-led camp who have been seeking the ouster of the CEM on grounds of anti-party activities.
Benedic is also the MLA for Raksamgre, which has further complicated matters for the NPP leadership, with general elections to the state just about a year away.
“This is to clarify that Linekar K. Sangma along with the other MDCs in the EC resigned from their respective posts as they have lost confidence in the leadership of present CEM of GHADC, who has gradually turned out to be incompetent to lead GHADC,” said a note by the NPP-led MDCs.
“His actions have proved that he is not well-learned to understand the mechanism of a prestigious institution such as GHADC, which, if led blindly with no vision and proper policies, would bring great damage in the long run. As a matter of fact, the MDCs resigned from their respective posts due to lack of confidence in his leadership and withdrew support to his leadership,” the note added.
There has been a lot of consternation between the CEM, his party MDCs as well as the senior leadership of the NPP. This comes in the midst of rumours of the CEM being in talks with the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) in an effort to form the EC with the Opposition.
Sources have claimed that Benedic along with another NPP MDC, Dhormonath Sangma, would likely leave the party though both of them are yet to break silence on this. On the other hand, the move of three-time AITC MDC, Stevie Marak, and the ‘still contemplating’ Shyamnagar MDC, Habibuz Zaman, has made the current episode extremely enthralling.
Both parties will now look to ensure that their flock remains together so that a push to form any possible AITC-led EC or save the incumbent one can be taken up.
NPP party sources have claimed that the CEM has not had very good relations with the leadership due to his ego, something that Benedic has rubbished.
“There has been a lot of interference by the state NPP leadership in reference to the working of the GHADC, something that I have been completely against. They also want all communications between the GHADC MDCs and the central government to be taken through the state. I am not happy with this as there are central departments which want to help the GHADC out of the current crisis,” said Benedic, when called earlier.