Shillong, June 23: More than 30 ministers of the Congress led-Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) have resigned to provide chief minister D.D. Lapang room to reconstitute his government. The members of the coalition partners in the cabinet had recently decided to quit en masse so that Lapang would not have to drop his ministers to comply with the downsizing law.
According to the latest law passed by Parliament, the Meghalaya cabinet can have only 12 members, which means that the ruling MDA has to downsize its ministry from the existing 41 in a House of 60. The deadline for finalising the new ministry expires on July 6.
Lapang told reporters today that the resignations would continue till the end of the month. He also hinted that he would officially accept the resignations only after June 30.
Lobbying for inclusion in the new ministry has reached a peak, especially within the Congress, with different factions vying for Lapang’s attention. Though the chief minister is said to have already made his list, senior leaders in the Congress are said to working overtime on a different gameplan.
Sources said several Congress MLAs, who are ministers in the present cabinet, have lobbied hard with the party high command in Delhi and are doing everything in their capacity to get a berth in the new ministry.
The sources said that the Congress is likely to bag the lion’s share of eight portfolios, while the four regional partners in the MDA would get one berth each. Of the eight ministries the Congress is said to be planning to keep, four would go to MLAs from Garo hills and the rest to legislators from East Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi districts, the sources said, adding that former chief minister F.A. Khonglam might not make it to the cabinet.
Congress MLAs expected to make it to the new ministry include Mukul Sangma, Debora Marak, Manirul Islam Sarkar, Cyprian Sangma, J.D. Rymbai, Friday Lyngdoh, H.D.R. Lyngdoh, Charles Pyngrope and the chief minister himself. Khnam president Paul Lyngdoh, UDP leader Donkupar Roy and MDP president Martle Mukhim are also likely to be part of the next government. Lapang will visit Delhi next week to meet AICC chief Sonia Gandhi with the list.