Governance in Meghalaya is on the back-foot. Nothing of consequence is happening. We are witnessing a blame game that has gone on for over a year. The present NPP-led MDA Government blames the Congress-led MUA government for every ill that besets the state. But isn’t that the reason why people voted for change in 2018? So where is the change? Do we see any change in terms of how governance is executed? Right now the alibi is that important decisions cannot be taken until the election results are declared on May 23. But that’s not the point. The point is that many decisions that can legitimately be taken and are not necessarily tied to the Lok Sabha elections are kept in abeyance. Meghalaya’s capital, Shillong is bursting at the seams with traffic snarls leading to loss of precious man hours particularly during school timings. People voted for change even here. They wanted the new Government to grow a spine and push the elite schools to procure school buses so that all the vehicles that come out on the road in the morning and afternoon (which include government vehicles ferrying the privileged children of government and police officials) are put to rest and don’t congest the public roads. But even this decision is kept pending for reasons best known to the CM Conrad Sangma.
Speaking about the CM, he seems to be straddling two worlds – that of leading the state and that of leading his party the NPP. Between the two he is undecided on which is the more important duty. Add to that the duty of chaperoning the PM during his Varanasi rally followed by his accompanying Union Home Minister Raj Nath Singh to solicit votes from Uttar Pradesh. The same CM had no time to visit the Ksan mine where 15 miners were trapped since December 13 last year, if only to get a firsthand account of the incident; the relief and rescue measures being undertaken and the gaping loopholes in the operation before passing comments that too much money has been spent in the rescue mission. Clearly, leading a Government is no easy task and the strain is showing. Besides, putting up candidates in several states to contest the Lok Sabha elections just so that the NPP becomes a national party and therefore enjoys more clout is no cakewalk. It is not without reason that the Bible says no man can serve two masters. At present Conrad Sangma the CM is devoting more time and attention to his role as Conrad Sangma the NPP President. And Meghalaya suffers!