By Our Reporter

SHILLONG: Curtains are about to come down on a politically volatile five years with the announcement of the Assembly election for 2013, the State witnessed many twists and turns to the toppling drama with turncoats playing major roles since 2008 resulting in the formation of four Governments till 2012.
The signal is that the same enactment may be witnessed after the 2013 Assembly election considering the presence of too many players representing several political parties.
With so many potential leaders in the many existing political parties, change of leadership is likely to recur.
The denial of party tickets to many Congress aspirants is likely to reduce the party’s tally after election. The current trend is that yet again, a coalition government is in the offing.
A President’s Rule, formation of four governments, with one having the life of only 10 days, and legislators changing affiliations and their resignations, disqualification and reinstatement among others marked the last five year of Meghalaya politics.
In the run up to the 2008 Assembly polls, there were speculations that political parties like UDP, HSPDP and KHNAM will ultimately join a Congress-led Government. A miscalculated Cabinet induction in 2009 proved to be the downfall of DD Lapang when Congress was in power and a calculated reshuffle saved the leadership of Mukul Sangma in 2010.
The death of three former chief ministers – EK Mawlong, DD Pugh and FA Khonglam – one former Deputy Chief Minister JD Pohrmen and sitting legislator Mason Singh Sangma have also created a void in Meghalaya politics.
Like in the past, the political leaders earned the dubious distinction of not allowing an elected government to complete the full term of five years.
Soon after the results of the Assembly elections held on March 3, 2008 were announced, the Congress emerged as the single largest party winning 25 seats. The CLP leader DD Lapang wanted to hurriedly stitch a coalition government with usual partners UDP, HSPDP and KHNAM expecting their support.
However, unhappy over the style of functioning of Lapang, the regional parties did not want to support a Congress-led Government and instead made overtures to the Opposition NCP which had 15 legislators.
However, determined to form a Congress-led Government, Lapang with 25 Congress legislators and support of three Independents formed the Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) and assumed office on March 10, 2008 assuring the Governor that he would prove the majority on the floor of the House.
As the important day approached, Lapang, certain of his defeat on the floor of the House, tendered his resignation on March 19 after having been in the chair for only 10 days.
The Opposition NCP-UDP combine made use of the opportunity to forge a coalition Government sans the Congress.
On March 19, 2008, Donkupar Roy, leader of the Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA) was sworn in as Chief Minister.
The 31 member MPA coalition consisted of NCP, UDP, HSPDP, KHNAM (Paul Lyngdoh), BJP (AL Hek) and two Independents, Limison Sangma and Ismail Marak.
Later, MPA increased its tally to 32 after NCP candidate Satto Marak won the bye-election to the Baghmara seat in South Garo Hills. The election was deferred after the sudden demise of Sengran Sangma of the Congress soon after he filed the nomination papers.
Later, Independent legislator Ismail Marak joined the MPA and its tally rose to 33.
The MPA strength further swelled to 34 in February 2009 when another Independent Limison Sangma joined its fold.
The untimely death of former Chief Minister EK Mawlong from the UDP in October 2008 and the subsequent victory of Congress legislator Stanly Wiss Rymbai from Umroi (bye-election) in March 2009 was a blow to the ruling MPA coalition. From 11 members, the strength of the UDP had come down to 10.
March 2009 was a cruel month for the ruling MPA coalition as Congress succeeded in breaking the alliance, leaving a litany of woes for the MPA.
The crack was thrown wide open when two Independent MLAs – Ismail Marak and Limison Sangma – left the coalition on March 9, 2009 and joined the Congress.
In the toppling game engineered by the Congress, lone KHNAM legislator Paul Lyngdoh also subsequently resigned from the Cabinet.
With the resignation of Lyngdoh, the Assembly witnessed a peculiar political situation as in the House of 60, the strength of both MUA and MPA stood at 30 each.
In 2012, the situation changed once again as Lyngdoh embraced UDP, the same party which he had betrayed three summers back. Advisor Pariong of the HSPDP also left MPA only to return back to its fold.
During the high voltage political drama, the then Assembly Speaker Bindo M Lanong from the UDP  imposed disqualification of four legislators – Deputy Speaker Sanbor Shullai (NCP), Ismail Marak and Limison Sangma (Independents) and Paul Lyngdoh.
Though Pariong initially faced interim disqualification his case was not followed up by the Speaker since he returned back to the MPA fold.
Amid the confusion, a confidant MPA claiming effective majority in the House won a trust vote on March 17, 2009, but the Congress-led MUA which met Governor RS Mooshahary termed the trust vote as illegal and staked claims to form the government.
The next day, the Governor recommended President’s Rule and on March 19, the first anniversary of the MPA government, the Centre notified the President’s Rule in Meghalaya.
In the meantime, the disqualification of Shullai, Ismail, Limison and Paul was stayed by the Shillong Bench of the Gauhati High Court.
Trouble further haunted the MPA after Ampareen Lyngdoh, who had contested and won on a UDP ticket, resigned on March 31, 2009 and decided to contest from the Congress.
As a reward, when the Congress-led MUA government was formed, Ampareen was inducted into the ministry even before she faced the by-elections. Ampareen got elected on a Congress ticket in August, 2009.
UDP MLA Nimarson Momin also joined the exodus by quitting as MLA, but withdrew his resignation letter later.
The loss of two UDP seats (Umroi and Laitumkhrah) resulted in UDP’s strength being reduced to nine, while that of the Congress rose to 27 from the original 25.
Prior to this, in July, the lone BJP legislator AL Hek joined the Congress and subsequently, he was accommodated in the ministry. It was an advantage for the Congress as its strength rose to 28.
In the fluid political situation, the move of NCP, a partner in the MPA to forge an alliance with the Congress to form an alternate Government backfired as the UDP extended support to the Congress for the formation of the new Government.
Amid the claims and counter claims, the Centre on May 8, 2009 decided to lift the President’s Rule. The critics found that the imposition of President’s Rule and its subsequent revocation nearly after two months was aimed at installing a Congress-led Government in Meghalaya.
The people by and large welcomed the President’s Rule as this could bring about a semblance of order and discipline in various government departments.
Soon Lapang was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the Congress-led MUA coalition on May 13, 2009 with the support of UDP, HSPDP and KHNAM who were earlier under the MPA banner. With the new political development, the MPA ceased to exist.
Along with Lapang, Mukul Sangma was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister, while RC Laloo, MM Danggo and Ampareen Lyngdoh were sworn in as Cabinet ministers.
While initially, JA Lyngdoh represented UDP in the MUA Cabinet, independent legislator AT Mondal was also made a minister for his unflinching support to the MUA during troubled times.
On May 16, 2009, Lapang added five more members to his Cabinet including Deputy Chief Minister Bindo Lanong (UDP) and Prestone Tynsong (Congress).
KHNAM member Paul Lyngdoh and Independents Ismail Marak and Limison Sangma were also inducted for their ‘sacrifice’ of switching allegiance to the Congress-led coalition.
However, the Congress legislators, who were unhappy over the induction of Lyngdoh and three Independents were successful in toppling the Lapang-led Government.
Despite the Congress short listing the name of Assembly Speaker Charles Pyngrope as the next leader, Lapang’s deputy, Mukul Sangma, whose name never figured in the tussle for power, emerged as the new Chief Minister to succeed Lapang on April 20, 2010. Other names doing the rounds were Rowell Lyngdoh and RC Laloo.
The Mukul ministry initially had three members with Bindo M Lanong (UDP) as Deputy Chief Minister and JA Lyngdoh, also of the UDP, and Independent legislator AT Mondal as cabinet ministers.
On April 24, Sangma expanded the Cabinet with the induction of Congress legislators Rowell Lyngdoh as Deputy Chief Minister, HDR Lyngdoh, FW Momin, Augustine Marak and Founder S Cajee as Cabinet Ministers. All of them had been involved in the move to oust Lapang.
Sangma, however, retained RC Laloo, Prestone Tynsong and Ampareen Lyngdoh.
Among those who faced the axe included Independents Limison Sangma, Ismail Marak, KHNAM leader Paul Lyngdoh and Congress member MM Danggo.
However, this was not the end as the perennial resentment among those who were not inducted in the ministry was palpable.
With Lapang out of power, many legislators, who were once against him, rallied behind him to stage a coup against Mukul.
Lapang, with the support of 18 Congress legislators, had also met Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi.
However, in a sudden change of mind, probably on the advice of Sonia Gandhi, Lapang decided to ‘cooperate’ with Chief Minister Mukul Sangma during their meeting with the Congress president on July 8, 2011. Except dissident Congress legislator Prestone Tynsong, others were not present during the meeting in Delhi.
Other dissident Congress legislators, however, were not happy with the move of Lapang.
Tynsong, who also pledged his support to Sangma, was finally inducted into the Cabinet on August 2 though he was dropped from the ministry on June 7, 2011 for his acts of dissidence.
In the tussle for power and political drama, those who lost the cabinet berths on June 7 were Augustine Marak, FW Momin and Founder S Cajee. They had to give way for the induction of AL Hek, Shitlang Pale and Saleng Sangma.
Another suspense was that Congress legislator Stanly Wiss Rymbai, who was to be sworn in along with Hek, Pale and Saleng, did not turn up and subsequently the Chief Minister inducted the sacked minister Tynsong on August 2.
Lapang’s claim that an agreement had been reached to re-induct other dropped ministers proved to be false.
The Opposition wanted to test the unity of the Congress and on September 14, Mukul Sangma had to face a no-confidence motion moved by NCP.
The motion was defeated in the Assembly by a head count, but not before a six hour discussion on the functioning of the Congress-led MUA government.
Unlike previous years, the Chief Minister did not face any revolt from the Congress dissidents and the coalition partners in 2012.
To have a balance of power, Lapang was made president of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee in the middle of the year.
While the Congress was able assume central charge of power in Meghalaya, the main Opposition party in the Assembly, the NCP was besieged with several problems.
Former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma relinquished Tura seat to contest the Presidential polls, but in vain. His daughter Agatha also lost the Union Cabinet berth after the reshuffle of the Union ministry.
To prevent NCP taking any political mileage out of the issue in the poll bound Meghalaya, Shillong MP, Vincent Pala was also dropped though the official word was that he will concentrate in State politics considering the upcoming elections.
The NCP in a meeting held on August 24, 2012 also claimed that the party merged with the newly formed NPP under the leadership of PA Sangma.
However, suspended NCP legislator Adolf Lu Hitler R Marak and Deputy Speaker Sanbor Shullai did not join the NPP.
The UDP has also suspended its legislator Ardent Basaiawmoit for questioning the party’s decision to field a non-indigenous candidate from Rajabala in West Garo Hills.
One significant development in the State politics was the decision by veteran political leaders – former Chief Minister JD Rymbai (UDP) and Friday Lyngdoh (Congress) – not to carry on with active politics.

By Our Reporter

Shillong: Since December last year electricity has been playing truant in Shillong city. The situation beyond the city is even more pathetic. When consumers call the Area Manager’s office they either get an engaged tone or are told that the telephone is temporarily out of order. But that is hardly their fault. It’s the entire system that is creaking.
After the corporatisation process MeSEB became MeECL. The nomenclature changed but the Government continues to run the Corporation like a department and the Chief Secretary who is burdened with running the entire Secretariat is also expected to be the corporate wizard to turn the sick MeECL around.
Sources in the Government say that the much touted Myntdu-Leshka hydro electric project which cost a whopping Rs 1100 crore was supposed to generate 126 MW of power in three phases but is now generating only 10 MW for reasons best known to the architects of the project.
The Leshka has suffered from tremendous time and cost overruns without the project handlers having to pay any penalty.
The main supplier of power to the city is the Umiam Reservoir with installed capacity of 185 MW. Today the generating capacity has been reduced to only 25 MW. The huge gap between demand and supply of power is met by the national grid.
But sources say that the Meghalaya Government owes approximately Rs 360 crore to the different power PSUs of the national grid for supplying power to the State. Of this amount, Rs 240 crore is due to NEEPCO.
It is learnt that notice for payment of the outstanding amount has been served by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) to the State Government. CEA has threatened to levy a fine on the Principal Secretary, Power, Government of Meghalaya.
Technical experts say that Meghalaya should have invested in thermal power projects since hydel electricity projects are too dependent on monsoons and their capacity to generate power is not uniform.
Thermal projects are more consistent but the scope for corruption is minimal. Hence the MeECL engineers continue to pursue hydel   projects despite making a mess of things.
The technical experts also claim that Government should have invited private players in the power sector or handed over new power projects to NEEPCO which would have given a return of 12 per cent on the power generated.
“With private players, Government does not have to invest money. They will generate their own resources and complete the project within a stipulated time. Power generation, transmission and distribution would also be handled by private players more efficiently. Of course the consumer has to pay a higher cost. But how long can Government subsidise power without going bankrupt?” asked a senior electrical engineer.
Government sources inform that the budgets of other departments have been cut to push in more funds to the Power Department.
The question many experts are asking today is why do Leshka when the peak demand is for Shillong city and the its suburbs? They are also asking why the Government of Meghalaya continues to invest in power projects despite their dismal failure.

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG: The State police headquarter has been asked to submit a proposal for the setting up of a separate Anti-Infiltration Directorate.
“We are expecting to complete the process for setting up of this Anti-Infiltration Directorate within three months after receiving the proposal from the police headquarter which is expected to submit the proposal at the earliest,” a senior government official informed here on Sunday.
He said that the Government has sanctioned a total number of 144 posts in the first phase and the necessary fund for the infrastructure would be sanctioned once the Directorate starts functioning from a temporary office. The proposed Directorate would be assigned with the task of checking infiltration and influx in the State.

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG: East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal would be issuing a show cause notice to Laban legislator Sanbor Shullai (NCP) for violating the Election model code of conduct, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Prashant Naik informed on Sunday.
Naik said that they would decide on the action to be taken against Shullai after receiving his reply on the show cause notice.

By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: With Assembly election in Meghalaya due on February 23, the Border Security Force (BSF) has strengthened its vigil along the Indo-Bangla international border.
BSF PRO Ravi Gandhi on Sunday said over 800 personnel has been mobilized to safeguard the borders, considering that the State Election Department will declare polling stations near the international borders as ‘sensitive’.
“We have already geared up for the election and extra manpower has been sent from the Headquarters to the borders,” he said, adding that the troops will do intensive and extensive border domination in view of the election.
“We are also coordinating closely with the border population and the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) in this regard,” he said.

By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: East Khasi Hills Police have arrested a 22-year-old youth for allegedly raping a three-and-half-year old child at Mawlonghat villager under Sohrynkham on Saturday evening. The arrested person, identified as Rishonroy Kharkongor, was remanded in eight days of police custody.

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG: Suspected GNLA militants lobbed a grenade at range forest office compound at Rongreng Chidekgre, East Garo Hills on Sunday at 8 pm, police said. According to police, though the grenade exploded there was no casualty or damage.

By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The BJP is likely to declare its candidates within 2-3 days.
BJP State general secretary Dipayan Chakraborty on Sunday informed that the party has received 29 applications for tickets which are being scrutinized by the Central Election Committee. On the number of seats the party will contest in the polls, Chakraborty informed that the Central Committee will take a decision in this regard.

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG:  The Centre is yet to release the fund which has been sanctioned for the proposed computerization of the Public Distribution System (PDS) in the State.
The Centre had sanctioned a total amount of Rs 43 crores last year for the purpose. “We are still waiting for the Centre to release the funds. It would difficult to say when we are going to receive the funds,” a senior official in the PDS department said here on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the senior Government official informed that a meeting was convened in this connection at New Delhi in November last year.
“We were expecting the funds to be released by the end of last year. We hope that the funds will be released within this fiscal year,” a senior government official added.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the department at the moment is trying to digitalize the datas of the PDS consumers.
Official sources however informed that  one of the major components of this computerization is to set up of the control rooms to closely monitor the stock in the Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns even as the amount of which are being lifted by the wholesalers lifting the items.
“We would also be close monitoring the stocks which are being lifted by the Fair Price Shops and subsequently delivered to the beneficiaries through the digitalised network,” official sources said.
Food and Civil Supplies is also hopeful that with this new computerised system there would be limited scope to commit any malpractices in the PDS.
While ruling out the possibilities of diversion of the PDS items once the system is in place, official sources  also said, “The beneficiaries would also largely benefit once the computerisation system comes into effect,” Earlier, it was reported that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has taken a keen interest in the computerisation process of PDS system across the country and is taking day to day stock of the progress made by each state and Union Territory in this regard.
The Supreme Court had also directed the various State Governments to closely work with the centre in computerising the PDS to help reduce diversion of food grain.

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG: In a boost to the State Government’s plans of setting up an IT park at the proposed New Shillong Township, more than fifteen consultancies have responded to the Expression of Interest floated by the State Information Technology.
Commissioner and Secretary of Information Technology department, DP Wahlang on Sunday said, “We thought only two to three companies would respond to the EOI but more than fifteen consultancies have responded to it.”
The proposed IT Park is expected to provide a new dimension to the State IT sector which is expected to benefit hundreds of youths from the State.
According to Wahlang, the Government will set up a huge IT infrastructure in the park where IT companies would establish their business and this would result in huge employment opportunities for the local youths.
It is learnt that the proposed IT Park would have call centres and workshops for all the IT related equipments and other infrastructure to make Shillong an IT destination.
To make the proposal a reality, eighty acres of land has been allotted to the Information Technology department for construction of the IT Park.
The IT department plans to run the proposed Park on a PPP model and is scheduled to constitute a Proposal Evaluation Committee to evaluate the responses of the bidders.  The proposed project is expected to do wonders as the State is yet to achieve anything significant in terms of IT infrastructure as connectivity is proving to be a cause of concern for IT related activities.