SHILLONG, Feb 4: National People’s Party (NPP) MDC, Lamphrang Blah is set to don the mantle of chairman of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) as the Congress has opted out.
The new chairman will be elected during a special session of the council on Monday.
Blah, who is backed by the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), filed his nomination papers before the Secretary of the Legislative wing, B Sohtun on Friday.
His first and second sets of nomination were proposed by KHADC Chief Executive Member, Titosstarwell Chyne and NPP MDC, Mitchell Wankhar respectively.
During the filing of nomination, Blah was accompanied by senior MDC, Bindo Mathew Lanong; former chairman and NPP MDC, Pyniaid Sing Syiem; Executive Member, Teibor Pathaw; and Congress MDC, Bajop Pyngrope among others.
Following scrutiny, the Secretary of the Legislative wing declared that both sets of nomination papers were in order.
Later, talking to reporters, Blah expressed his gratefulness to the party leadership for the opportunity given to him.
“I would also like to thank the party MDCs and those of the ruling coalition for backing my candidature. I appreciate the opposition Congress for not fielding a candidate,” Blah said.
He also said that he will now have a huge responsibility.
“I will reveal my priorities after I am formally elected. I will need the support of all 29 MDCs to be able to carry out my responsibility as the chairman,” he added.
On Thursday, the Congress had claimed that the Governor’s decision to convene the special session of the council for the election of the chairman on February 7 is against the provision laid down in the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous Districts (Constitution of District Councils) Rules, 1951.
Congress parliamentary party leader in the KHADC, PN Syiem had told reporters that the office of Deputy Chairman fixed the date for filing of nomination on Friday but the Autonomous District Rules clearly state that it should be one day before the election of chairman.
“If we go by the rules, then the day of filing of nomination should fall on Sunday. The DCA (District Council Affairs department) and the Governor’s Secretariat should have studied the Autonomous District Rules to ensure that the notification, issued for fixing the special session, does not contradict the rules,” Syiem had said.
Pyniaid Sing Syiem of the NPP had earlier resigned from the post of chairman to make way for Blah.