Politics / Meghalaya

SHILLONG, June 18 – The Meghalaya Assembly on Thursday admitted a privilege motion against an NCP member questioning ‘impartiality’ of the Speaker. Speaker Martin M Danggo informed the House that his secretariat received a notice for privilege motion by Congress’ Zenith M Sangma who quoted media reports on April 26 last saying NCP leader ‘Edmund K Sangma flays Danggo for supporting the ruling party’s views’.

The Speaker said the motion would be taken up for discussion on Monday. Zenith Sangma in his privilege motion said the reports quoting the NCP leader questioned the ‘impartiality’ of...

Shillong, June 17: First a doctor, then a politician and now a singer: Meghalaya minister Mukul Sangma loves wearing many hats. As his political rivals rave and rant about his allegedly corrupt ways, Sangma is in a different zone, awaiting the release of a Garo music album in which he makes his debut as a singer trilling about “love and peace”.

The album, which he co-produced with wife Dikkanchi Shira, will be promoted through a video shot in Mumbai and parts of the Garo hills. Some faces from Bollywood reportedly feature in the video.

The public works department and information and...

SHILLONG, June 15 – Meghalaya Speaker Martin M Danggo today announced that he would drop the disqualification of membership case against three NCP MLAs but pursue the same against two others as per the requests of complainants. Danggo informed the Assembly that the case against the three MLAs was dropped after receiving a ‘fresh letter’ from two complainants – Tony Curtis Lyngdoh and Sayeedullah Nongrum – both Congress ministers in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance Government yesterday.

The two complainants on April 1 had petitioned to the Speaker to initiate cases against five NCP MLAs –...

Shillong, June 13: All members of the D.D. Lapang government in Meghalaya have decided to resign by the end of this month to enable the chief minister to reconstitute the ministry instead of dropping ministers to reduce its size. The Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) last night gave Lapang “full authority” to downsize the ministry in the manner he chooses to.

The Lapang ministry has 41 members, but has to be pruned down to 12 before July 6 because of a constitutional amendment.

Though the prospect of losing their ministerial portfolios has caused anxiety and confusion in the...

Shillong, June 10: The race for finding a berth in the downsized Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) ministry has begun with most MLAs demanding their pound of flesh. According the amended Anti-defection Bill, Meghalaya will have to trim its ministry size from 41 to 12. In the 60-member House, the total strength of the MDA is 49, while that of the Opposition is 11. The six-month deadline for the Meghalaya government to trim the size of the ministry expires on July 6.

Chief minister D.D. Lapang said the new-look ministry would be born out of compromises. Lapang’s decision to create more...

Shillong, June 8: The Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government will meet on June 12 to discuss the downsizing of the ministry. According to the law enacted by Parliament, Meghalaya must prune its ministry from the existing 41 to 12 ministers. Meghalaya chief minister D.D. Lapang said late last evening that his government, a coalition of five parties, including the Congress, would “sit across the table to openly deliberate on the issue”. Lapang is also the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader.

According to the amended anti-defection bill, which was signed by President A.P...

SHILLONG, June 6 – The underground Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) extremists of Meghalaya have indicated their willingness to come overground and many more ultras will come forward to return to the mainstream, Chief Minister DD Lapang has said, reports PTI.

“ANVC cadres are showing a green signal,” official sources today quoted the Chief Minister as saying at a gathering at Nongpoh on Friday on the occasion of 12th Ri-Bhoi district foundation day celebrations. Many more would come forard to return to the mainstream. This was a “welcome sign” for peace in Meghalaya, he said.

Many...

Imphal, June 04: With the deadline (July 7) for reducing the size of the SPF Ministry to 12, fast approaching, the SPF Govt has started drawing up a tentative list of the Ministers likely to be dropped and likely to be retained. Expectedly intense lobbying and behind the scene activities have intensified with a number of young Ministers audibly voicing their stand against any move to drop them. Disclosing this to The Sangai Express a well placed source said that according to the tentative list, Thoubal district may have three or two Ministers including the Chief Minister. Abdul Salam from...

SHILLONG, June 4 – The Meghalaya Government will soon take up the issue of state-based militant camps in Bangladesh with the new government at the Centre, as part of a fresh approach towards tackling the menace of militancy. Chief Minister DD Lapang and Home Minister Robert G Lyngdoh will visit New Delhi to meet Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to discuss militancy in the state, besides the issue of North-east-based militant camps in Bangladesh after the state budget session in the end of the current month.

It may be mentioned here that the Border Security Force (BSF) has handed over a fresh...

Shillong, June 2: Meghalaya chief minister D.D. Lapang today said the state government proposes to create three new sub-divisions. Lapang announced this at a meeting with the 12th Finance Commission this morning. While seeking the “support of the commission,” Lapang said the three new units of civil administration would be at Pynursla in East Khasi Hills district, at Patharkhma in Ri Bhoi district and at Tikrikilla in West Garo Hills district.

Several political parties and legislators, especially from the Garo hills, have also been demanding creation of three more districts, two in Garo hills...