CEM succumbs to HSPDP pressure
SHILLONG: Taking a U-turn from his earlier decision to go ahead with the previous Executive Committee, the newly appointed KHADC CEM Adelbert Nongrum on Wednesday decided to drop Nongshken independent MDC Grace Mary Kharpuri from the EC to accommodate one more HSPDP MDC as an Executive Member (EM).
Within an hour Nongrum announced his decision, the Nongshken MDC submitted her resignation letter.
She also withdrew her support from the ruling coalition- ARPA and the letter in this regard was submitted by her to the CEM.
Wednesday’s development came as a surprise as till Tuesday Nongrum was against HSPDP’s demand for induction of a new EM.
Finally he succumbed to the pressure from HSPDP, sources said.
Interestingly, during the meeting to decide on the EMs for the new EC both the Parliamentary Party (PP) leaders of HSPDP and UDP KP Pangniang and Teiñwell Dkhar had endorsed the proposal of Nongrum to retain the previous EC.
In fact, Governor KK Paul on Tuesday had approved the list of EMs forwarded by Nongrum.
Inside sources claimed that former CEM Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit had on numerous occasions requested Nongrum to give the HSPDP one more EM post.
While talking to newsmen after a marathon six-hour-long meeting of ARPA on Wednesday, Nongrum refused to admit that he betrayed the Nongskhen MDC.
“I have not betrayed anyone. I have taken this decision due to the demand of the situation,” he asserted.
The KHADC CEM also denied that he compromised to save his chair.
While defending his decision, Nongrum said that he had inducted Kharpuri in the EC since he believed that she was s still an HSPDP MDC since her resignation was yet to be accepted by the party.
“But now it is official that she (Kharpuri) is no longer with the HSPDP after the party accepted her resignation. In politics, I have to go with the voice of the majority by accepting the demand of the HSPDP to induct another EM from the party,” he said.
Nongrum could not give a satisfactory reply when asked if the MDCs of ARPA were a bundle contradictions “who cannot be relied upon”.
Meanwhile, after submitting her resignation a visibly disappointed Kharpuri said, “I feel I have been betrayed since I was among the MDCs who were totally committed for the survival of the alliance during this whole crisis. I have never expected to be treated in this manner”.
Kharpuri informed that she also decided to withdraw her support from ARPA.