NONGPOH, May 20: A bitter leadership dispute has erupted within the Nongpoh Region Auto Owners and Drivers Association (NRAODA), as newly appointed leaders have publicly accused former president Marcus Marten of continuing to claim authority despite having lost the confidence of his fellow auto-rickshaw drivers.
The fresh conflict has forced both factions — the new leadership team and Marten’s loyalists — to approach the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Ri-Bhoi on Tuesday, seeking official recognition of their respective claims to the NRAODA’s leadership.
According to the new office-bearers, the controversy stems from Marten’s failure to effectively lead the association over several years. Legal representatives of the new faction revealed that an RTI (Right to Information) response from the office of the Deputy Commissioner indicates the association had remained dormant from 2011 to 2021, with no record of annual activity, financial audits, or leadership reports under Marten’s tenure.
In 2024, the new leadership revived the association and received formal recognition from the DC’s office, presenting valid documentation to support their claim. However, the group alleges that Marten, now sidelined, is attempting to stage a comeback by mobilising support from auto-rickshaw drivers from outside Nongpoh — particularly from Byrnihat and the 20 Mer area — to challenge the newly recognised leadership. “We urge our counterparts from Byrnihat and 20 Mer to understand the full facts before allowing themselves to be used as tools to disrupt the functioning of NRAODA in Nongpoh,” the new leaders said in a statement. “They should prioritise their local affairs and remain cautious, especially considering the influx of drivers from Assam operating in their area.”
In response, Marcus Marten dismissed the allegations, telling the media that the new leadership was self-appointed and emerged from only two of the several operational units, without consulting the wider community of drivers.
“They have repeatedly targeted me in the press, calling me a ‘high-level’ manipulator,” Marten said. “But I feel no obligation to seek approval from people who have barely two years — or even just six months — of experience in this trade.”
Marten added that he does not need to prove his leadership to anyone and insisted that only the wider collective of drivers can determine who should represent them. He further challenged the new leadership to call a general meeting, in the presence of district authorities, police, and elected representatives, to democratically settle the matter once and for all.
“I have no personal animosity toward them,” Marten said. “But if they truly believe they have the people’s mandate, let them prove it transparently.”
