SHILLONG, Feb 18: With Amit Shah stepping on the corruption accelerator against NPP-led coalition, one man who should be relishing it all the most must be AL Hek who felt humiliated by being sacked from cabinet by Conrad Sangma.
Shah’s accusation against Conrad Sangma that he “failed” the state will be music to this man who is seeking sixth re-election from Pynthoumkhrah constituency.
Former minister in MDA government who was eased out of the cabinet quite unceremonious ly bears a grudge against the chief minister.
While he was in the cabinet, Hek did not make bones of his disapproval of the coal racketeering allegedly at the behest of the then Home Minister and Conrad’s elder brother, James Sangma. He was quoted in media reports that “there cannot be any smoke without fire”. This had not gone well with Conrad who was uncomfortable by the murky fallout of the scam and lack of support from Hek.
Add to it, Hek’s firm opposition to the cabinet proposal to convert MTC property into a shopping mall.
What turned out to be the last straw on camel’s back was report of Hek’s unhidden ambitions to replace Conrad as chief minister. When such reports reached CM’s ears, he wanted to cut him to size. In a swift counter move, Conrad got the nod from BJP leadership for replacing Hek by Sanbor Shullai as the lone BJP nominee in the cabinet.
While Hek was left fuming not knowing what had hit him, Conrad took the battle to another level. He engineered “defection” in Hek’s family by propping up his nephew Rocky Hek, a political rookie, to challenge his own maternal uncle on NPP ticket. It’s an open secret that Conrad is extending all out support to Rocky, both from the party and government. Apart from funding his election, a number schemes were sanctioned for the constituency under Chief Minister’s Special Development Programme.
On Friday, Conrad flew in by helicopter from the fierce battle ground of Garo Hills, just to drum up support against Hek in Pynthorumkhrah.
From all accounts, Hek seems to be sitting pretty unperturbed by the shenanigans of bitter political rivalry.
As Shah unleashed the barrage of assault against MDA in general and Conrad Sangma in particular, Hek must have felt a sense of triumph.
With that his fancied ambition to lead the charge from the big hot seat in the secretariat, must have also come as a big booster!
With BJP anticipating to substantially increase its tally from just a couple at present, and the looming indication of a hung assembly, the most imponderable may be on store for the state of state politics, say observers.
