Reshuffle likely to take place on Tuesday
Our Bureau
SHILLONG/NEW DELHI, Sep 13: In a massive political decision that will set the tone for the remaining half of the MDA 2.0 Government and the 2028 Assembly elections, at least five cabinet ministers are set to be replaced by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, including three from the National People’s Party (NPP).
Informed source told The Shillong Times on Saturday that the three NPP Cabinet ministers who are likely to be dropped are Education Minister Rakkam A. Sangma, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Comingone Ymbon, and Power Minister Abu Taher Mondal.
Former Deputy Speaker Timothy D. Shira is tipped to replace the Education minister, while either of Mendipathar MLA Marthon J. Sangma or Dalu MLA Brening A. Sangma will replace Mondal.
NPP’s Jowai MLA, Wailadmiki Shylla is likely to replace the Food and Civil Supplies minister. However, there are reports that NPP’s Rajya Sabha member, Wanwei Roy Kharlukhi has expressed his opposition to Shylla’s induction in the Cabinet.
Meanwhile, two other ministers from coalition partners — Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Shakliar Warjri of the HSPDP and Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Alexander Laloo Hek of the BJP are also likely to lose their Cabinet berths.
Both parties, which have two MLAs each, had agreed earlier to share Cabinet berths for two and a half years each.
According to sources, BJP’s South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai will replace Hek, while HSPDP’s Mawshynrut MLA Methodius Dkhar is poised to succeed Warjri.
Notably, Warjri was absent from the Assembly on the last day of the Autumn Session on Friday and did not attend office, while Hek was also absent from the Assembly and is reportedly in Kolkata for personal work.
If sources are to be believed, UDP’s Paul Lyngdoh and Kyrmen Shylla are also in reckoning to lose their Cabinet berths to party MLAs Metbah Lyngdoh (Mairang) and Lahkmen Rymbui (Amlarem), respectively.
The UDP leadership held a marathon discussion on Friday
regarding their representation in the Cabinet. Unlike the BJP and HSPDP, where the Cabinet-berth sharing idea was formalised, UDP sources clarified that no such agreement exists among the party’s 12 MLAs. The final decision will be taken at the party’s Parliamentary Party meeting.
The Cabinet reshuffle is likely to take place on Tuesday, sources said, adding that it was to take place on Sunday but had to be deferred owing to the demise of DD Lapang and the three-day state mourning announced by the MDA Government.
Insiders feel that the chief minister, who has created a record by winning maximum seats, will exercise caution to preserve the delicate coalition balance. Analysts view the potential reshuffle as a strategic step to consolidate authority and curb brewing dissent midway through the government’s five-year term.
Adding to the woes of the chief minister is the merger of the Congress MLAs with the NPP, who are now eyeing cabinet berths.
The MDA Government, however, earlier clarified that the Congress MLAs had joined without any condition.