By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 10: North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum was not invited to the inauguration of the city’s first modern shopping mall at Polo, sparking questions about the government’s intent.
This omission has led to speculation that the state government may have deliberately sidelined him, as he had attended the inauguration of the Polo Market in August 2020.
Nongrum has criticised the government’s dismissive attitude and claims that they have consistently been kept out of consultations on key local issues.
Interestingly, the government extended invitations to traditional heads from several localities, including Lawmali Pyllun and Wahingdoh, but the local MLA was neither acknowledged in the invitation card nor the project plaque.
This exclusion is particularly notable given that Nongrum had attended the inauguration of the Polo Market in August 2020, when Hamletson Dohling was the Urban Affairs Minister.
When contacted, Nongrum confirmed that he had not received any invitation for the event and recalled that he was one of the guests during the Polo Market project inauguration.
He alleged that the government had deliberately sidelined him and claimed that he has consistently been kept out of consultations on key local issues, including the Them Iew Mawlong settlement and the relocation of hawkers from areas like Khyndai Lad within his constituency.
“Till now, I have not been taken into confidence, even on the relocation of hawkers. This reflects the government’s disregard for my role as the elected representative,” Nongrum said, sharply criticising what he described as the government’s dismissive attitude.
