SHILLONG, June 19: In a sudden political development, the executive committee led by Chief Executive Member, Titosstarwell Chyne lost its majority in the in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council following its defeat during voting on a no-trust motion moved by NPP’s Bajop Pyngrope on the first day of the summer session here on Monday.
UDP’s Chyne was heading the United Democratic Alliance in the KHADC.
Pyngrope, while moving the no-confidence motion, questioned Chyne’s style of functioning.
The NPP also faulted Chyne for taking all the decisions on his own without consulting the executive committee.
A total of 17 MDCs, including six of Congress, supported the no-confidence motion while 12 did not. UDP MDC, Paul Lyngdoh did not attend the session.
KHADC chairman, Lamphrang Blah told the house that the executive committee led by Chyne lost the floor test. He further said that the election of the new CEM would be held on Tuesday.
In his reply, Chyne said he did not expect the no-confidence motion since he tried his best to carry everyone along.
“It is an act of betrayal by the NPP,” he said, declining to elaborate.
Stating that he welcomed the no-confidence motion moved against him “without any reason”, he said that everything seemed to be fine since the MDCs went together to Tripura and Delhi to attend a meeting.
“It is really sad that I was backstabbed by my friends,” the outgoing CEM said.
He questioned Congress for supporting the NPP in the council after accusing the Conrad K. Sangma-led party of being the B-team of the BJP.
“I am confused that (Ronnie V. Lyngdoh) the Congress MDC from Mylliem, who is the leader of the opposition in the Assembly, allied with the NPP,” he said.
The Mylliem MDC slammed Chyne for the “personal attack” and said what he said should be expunged.
“I have not said anything personal since you cannot hide from the people,” Chyne retorted.
Later, Chyne told reporters that the no-confidence motion was politics of convenience.
“There is no foundation or vision. The only objective of the NPP behind moving the no-confidence was to dislodge the UDP,” he said, insisting the NPP should have given examples of the decisions he had taken on his own.
Chyne refused to say if the development in the KHADC would affect the UDP’s relationship with the NPP. He said some MDCs who were not present in the executive committee had attended the UDA meeting last week.
“The people are tired of the drama in the KHADC. It is said there was a direction to oust the UDP. I don’t know where this direction came from,” he said.
“But anything is possible in politics when politicians who work together in the KHADC are rivals in the Assembly,” Chyne said, accusing the KHADC chairman of not following the rules to go ahead with the no-confidence motion.
“Other businesses scheduled for the day should have been disposed of before the no-confidence. If it was a special session, I would have understood. But it was a normal session,” he said.
Passing the KHADC’s budget was more important than the move to oust him, he added.
Chyne said none from the UDA would vie for the CEM’s post as they do not have the required numbers.
The Congress MDC defended his party’s decision to support the NPP, claiming it was done taking into consideration the pending amendment to the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Lyngdoh told reporters that Governor’s Rule might have been imposed in the KHADC if Congress did not support the NPP. “It is important for the EC to be in place, especially when there are apprehensions over the proposed amendment to the Sixth Schedule,” he said.
Lyngdoh, however, made it clear that the party would support the proposed amendment if is good for the state and oppose it if it is not.
When asked why Congress was ready to associate with the NPP, an ally of the BJP, he said that the mandate in the Assembly is totally different from that in the KHADC.
“We have to understand that there is no BJP in the KHADC. But the BJP is part of the NPP-led MDA ruling coalition in the state. The main concern of the council is protecting the ownership of land and to have laws for the protection of the customary laws and usages,” he said.
When asked to rate the performance of the UDP-led EC under Chyne, he said the decision of the NPP to back out “speaks volumes” about its functioning.
“If everything was fine, it would not have come to this stage. The no-confidence motion clearly questioned the style of functioning of the CEM,” Lyngdoh said.
