Politics / Meghalaya

Shillong, March 13: Student leader-turned-politician Paul Lyngdoh today said that no activities barring sports would be allowed at the Jawaharlal Nehru sports complex and other venues meant for sports and games.

“No messing around with sports venues will be allowed,” Lyngdoh, who was recently inducted as sports minister in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, stated categorically while carrying out an inspection of the sports complexes at the Polo Ground.

The Jawaharlal Nehru sports complex and the three other arenas on Polo Ground are the only venues available for sports like...

Shillong, March 11: Newly elected Meghalaya chief minister D.D. Lapang has ambitious plans for his capital. He has decided that his first task as chief minister would be to re-design the city and free it from pollution, vehicular congestion and improper sanitation.

Lapang today held a high-level meeting with the government co-ordination committee members, including the commissioners of all concerned departments and the director-general of police, to chalk out ways of restoring the sobriquet of Scotland of the East to the capital.

Home minister R.G. Lyngdoh, urban affairs minister Friday...

Shillong, March 10: Settling all differences within the ruling coalition, the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) today decided to nominate Martin M. Danggo as its candidate for the post of Speaker, election to which will be held on Wednesday.

At a meeting attended by the coalition partners of the MDA today, the leaders discussed the issue and resolved to settle the differences that had arisen after the Congress announced Danggo’s name as the MDA candidate for the post.

It was also decided at the meeting that the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) chief Hopingstone Lyngdoh would be...

Shillong, March 9: After fighting for plum portfolios, the Congress and other partners in the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) are now vying for the post of Speaker. The election to the post of Speaker will be held on Wednesday.

The Congress has already announced the name of Martin M. Danggo as the MDA candidate for post of Speaker.

However, the announcement has angered the other coalition partners, who have alleged that “the decision to put up Danggo was not unanimous”.

Several MLAs feel that “Danggo is not fit to become Speaker and the post should be given to senior legislators...

Shillong, March 7: In a knee-jerk reaction to the United Democratic Party’s threat to pull out of the coalition government, Meghalaya chief minister D.D. Lapang today not only made UDP Legislature Party leader Donkupar Roy his deputy but also handed over the finance ministry to him.

Addressing newsmen, Lapang said the decision to “keep the coalition partners happy” was taken at a meeting held this morning, referring to the “breakfast do” at Congress president S.C. Marak’s house.

Lapang also hinted that he might give up other portfolios like revenue, planning and industries to ensure that his...

SHILLONG, March 7— The ‘so-called crisis’ in the Meghalaya ministry blew over today with UDP Legislature Party leader Dr Donkupar Roy being appointed the Deputy Chief Minister besides being given the plum portfolio of Finance as a bonus. Earlier this morning, a delegation of the UDP, which is the main ally of the Congress in the four day-old Meghalaya Democratic Allies coalition ministry met the Chief Minister D D Lapang and expressed their dissatisfaction over the distribution of portfolios to the UDP members.

Shillong, March 6: The D.D. Lapang-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance is perilously close to being the most short-lived government in recent times in Meghalaya, a record previously held by Congress chief minister Salseng C. Marak who headed a ministry for 12 days.

The United Democratic Party (UDP) has threatened to pull out of the alliance, as its nine MLAs are extremely unhappy with Lapang’s distribution of portfolios.

The UDP, which is second largest party in the coalition after the Congress (which has 22 legislators), was expecting that its legislature party leader Donkupar Roy would be...

SHILLONG, March 6 — Differences within the newly-formed Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) led by Chief Minister DD Lapang cropped up immediately after the allocation of portfolios Wednesday evening. There is considerable resentment among the ranks of the United Democratic Party (UDP) which is the second largest party in the new coalition with nine members after the Congress which has a solid chunk of 22. UDP president and former Chief Minister AK Mawlong is reported to have expressed dissatisfaction over the issue at a meeting with Pradesh Congress chief Salseng C Marak here Wednesday.

UDP...

Shillong, March 5: Cracks have already begun to surface in the day-old Meghalaya Democratic Alliance led by Congress chief minister D.D. Lapang. Sources today said friction between the Congress and the United Democratic Party (UDP), the two major partners, over portfolios has come to the fore.

They said Lapang was still undecided on the size of the ministry, despite having already inducted 38 ministers. The chief minister parried questions on seeming differences within the coalition but hinted at a “common minimum programme” for governance, which was being worked out to check dissension.

The...

Shillong, March 4: Seventy-year-old D. Dethwelson Lapang, who was today sworn in as chief minister of Meghalaya for the second time in his chequered career, had been written off as a “losing candidate” not long ago.

But the veteran politician not only won the Nongpoh seat, but was also unanimously elected leader of the Meghalaya Congress Legislature Party and chairman of the new Meghalaya Democratic Alliance, paving the way for his rise to the top post.

Lapang’s “rivalry” with Meghalaya Congress president Salseng C. Marak had often landed him in controversy.

Marak’s defeat at the hands of...