SHILLONG, Aug 19: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma is likely to meet his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati on Sunday for the second phase of the proposed border talks to resolve the differences in the remaining six areas.
This was revealed by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong while addressing a gathering here on Friday.
He said Sangma is scheduled to meet Sarma while on his way back to Shillong. The two chief ministers are likely to notify the different regional committees after the meeting, he added.
Such committees were set up during the first phase of talks that led to the signing of a memorandum of understanding for six “less complicated” disputed sectors on March 29.
“We are committed to seeing the second phase of interstate boundary dialogue take off,” Tynsong said.
The deputy chief minister trashed allegations that he, along with Sangma, received a huge sum of money for giving away a major chunk of land to Assam for resolving the first six areas of differences. “People who make such allegations should come up with evidence since the state government knows what it is doing is for the interest of the people of Meghalaya,” he said.
Tynsong asserted the state has benefitted since he was the chairman of one of the regional committees.
While referring to Maikhuli in Ri-Bhoi district, he said the state only lost a small pond whose area is around 30,000 square feet.
“But it is sad that there are people who are claiming that a large chunk of land measuring several square kilometres has been given away, which is not true,” Tynsong said.
He said the National People’s Party wants the interstate boundary issue to be settled once and for all.
“We will not roll back even if we are alone. We know there are political parties who start questioning on the efforts of the present government,” he said.
“Some people are also questioning the proposed peace talks with the HNLC. They are asking why we should go for peace talks when the outfit hardly has any cadres left,” Tynsong said.
He said the government is committed to holding talks even if the outfit has only one member. “We want all the youth to return to the mainstream,” he added.
Others present at the gathering included NPP candidate from North Shillong, Ransom Sutnga and the party’s MDC from Rambrai-Jyrngam, Bajop Pyngrope.
