By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 14: The United Democratic Party (UDP) is heading into a decisive Parliamentary Party meeting on Monday with tensions running high over whether to enforce a power-sharing arrangement in its two Cabinet berths or to let the current incumbents continue.
The outcome could reshape the balance of the Conrad K. Sangma-led government, with two senior UDP leaders in the line of fire.
Sources confirmed that Urban Affairs Minister Paul Lyngdoh and Social Welfare Minister Kyrmen Shylla are under pressure to step aside for UDP president and Mairang MLA Metbah Lyngdoh, and Amlarem MLA Lahkmen Rymbui. If the reshuffle goes through, it would mark a significant churn within the UDP’s share of the Cabinet.
The issue, however, is anything but settled. A UDP Cabinet minister strongly contested the proposal during a marathon party discussion on Friday, arguing that unlike in the NPP or BJP, no pre-arranged two-and-a-half-year formula was ever agreed upon by UDP’s 12 MLAs.
The Minister argued rejecting any notion of a mechanical rotation, that if such a change is to be made, it should be based on merit and not random
This position exposes a faction within the UDP leadership. While some factions are pushing for a rotation to accommodate the president and other senior legislators, others see the move as destabilising and unfair, especially when the party had publicly clarified earlier that no such deal exists.
The larger Cabinet reshuffle was initially slated for Sunday but was deferred owing to the demise of veteran leader D.D. Lapang and the three-day state mourning announced by the MDA Government. Sources said the exercise is now likely to take place on Tuesday, adding urgency to the UDP’s Monday meeting
Caught between internal dissent and external pressure from the broader coalition reshuffle, the UDP now finds itself at a political crossroads — forced to decide whether to honour merit or power equations as the battle for berths heats up.