Politics / Meghalaya

Shillong, Jan. 9: The NCP today declared that chief minister F.A. Khonglam would contest the next Assembly elections on an NCP ticket but said the party would not project anyone as the chief ministerial candidate, reports our correspondent. Party leader B.B. Dutta told newsmen today that the matter regarding Khonglam’s candidature had been settled between the chief minister and the party.

“Khonglam will contest on an NCP ticket. All papers in this regard are ready,” he said. However, Khonglam has preferred to stay mum on the issue.

Guwahati, January 9: With the NSCN(IM) leaders already in Delhi for talks with the Centre, several smaller underground outfits of the North-East have started showing readiness to come to the negotiating table.

One of the first to have shown such interest is the Dima Halam Daoga, a group operating in Assam’s North Cachar Hills district. The DHD has been demanding a separate state for the state’s Dimasa tribals.

Last week, the outfit announced a unilateral ceasefire for six months, with its vice-chairman Dilip Nunisa saying it was encouraged by the manner in which the Government had responded...

Shillong, Jan. 7: Former Meghalaya chief minister and state Congress president, S.C. Marak, today said his party would maintain “a safe distance” from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) after the end of the current term of the People’s Forum of Meghalaya (PFM) government. Both the Congress and the NCP are part of the PFM coalition. The Congress has 16 MLAs while the NCP has one less in the ruling coalition.

Ruling out the possibility of forming an alliance with the NCP before or after the next Assembly elections, Marak said his party would concentrate on making a “big comeback” in the...

Shillong, January 6: Tempers are running high among doctors in Meghalaya over the government’s refusal to negotiate with the banned Achik National Liberation Council (ANVC) to secure the release of East Garo Hills District Health and Medical Officer P.N. Bezbaruah, who was abducted recently.

The F.A. Khonglam-led NCP coalition government has also refused to cough up the Rs 20-lakh ransom demanded by the Achik National Liberation Council.

The Chief Minister told The Indian Express he had left it to the police and district administration to secure Bezbaruah’s release. But added he expected...

Shillong, Jan. 5: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) general secretary P.A. Sangma’s dream of giving his party a firm foothold in his home state appears to be finally taking shape. Some top political leaders are poised to join the party before the Assembly polls, due next month. The NCP had got a boost when Meghalaya chief minister F.A. Khonglam joined the party. It is now the turn of industries minister Simon Siangshai, who represents the coal belt of Rymbai in Jaintia Hills, to change allegiance. He is likely to quit the Meghalaya Democratic Party (MDP) soon, but the announcement is being...

SHILLONG, Jan 3 — The Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has reiterated its aim for what it termed as the ‘freedom’ of the Hynniewtrep people.

In its New Year message to the people, the banned outfit expressed anger over ‘suppression’ and ‘enslavement’ suffered by the Hynniewtrep people over the years. HNLC, while warming the government if the latter continued with repressive measures, expressed gratitude to its sympathisers.

Meanwhile, the Centre has extended the term of ban imposed on the HNLC and the ARVC as both the outfits have been demanding secessin from India. However...

Shillong, Jan. 3: The Meghalaya government today made it clear that it would not pay ransom to the Achik National Volunteers’ Council (ANVC) to secure the release of district health and medical officer, Williamnagar, P.N. Bezbaruah. The government, however, promised that it would continue its efforts to get the doctor released “unharmed”. Chief minister F.A. Khonglam today told newspersons that the government would not succumb to any pressure from any militant outfit and could only appeal for the release of the abducted doctor.

ANVC rebels had abducted Bezbaruah from Williamnagar on December...

SHILLONG, Dec 19 — Members of the Meghalaya Assembly, cutting across party lines, today expressed strong reservations against the draft proposals of the Delimitation Commission. Participating in a discussion on a private member’s motion, members warned that the arbitrary exercise of delimitation carried out without taking the State Government and the elected representatives into confidence would result in grave consequences. The proposals, which are yet to be received officially by the State Government, seek to restructure the Assembly constituencies to bring parity as per population.

But...

Shillong, Dec. 19: The four-member Meghalaya Opposition today put chief minister F.A. Khonglam on the mat over the allegations of the nexus between politicians and rebels.

Leader of the Opposition T.H. Rangad of the BJP, in a query during Question Hour, wanted to know the names of the four MLAs who have links with militant groups. Khonglam replied that ?the names have not been confirmed?.

The chief minister, who had boldly announced a couple of months ago that the Centre was aware of the nexus and the case was being investigated by the special branch, today surprised everyone when he said...

Shillong, Dec. 18: Several thousand voters in Meghalaya have missed the Election Commission?s deadline to secure their right to franchise by enrolling in the state?s electoral rolls.

The last date for enrolment and procuring electoral photo-identity cards was November 30, but a sizeable section of voters failed to get their names registered. A senior official said these people would have to sit out the elections early next year.

?The deadline has expired, which means there is nothing that we can do now to help the people who haven?t filled up and submitted the relevant forms. The same...