Politics / Meghalaya

SHILLONG, June 2 – A Cabinet sub-committee, constituted to deal with the problem of influx of ‘foreigners’ and ‘outsiders’ into Meghalaya, has recommended the introduction of a 3-tier identity card system to check the menace. Sports and youth affairs minister Paul Lyngdoh, who is the chairman of the cabinet sub-committee on public grievances, today presented the sub-committee’s report, recommending introduction of a three-tier identity card system with 1971 as the ‘cut-off’ year to determine three category of residents – permanent, semi-permanent and temporary.

The sub-committee also...

SHILLONG, June 1 – ‘Fake militant’ groups are involved in most of the cases of extortion in Meghalaya, and not necessarily the ‘real’ banned outfits, State director general of police L. Sailo has revealed. “Groups of petty criminals are trying to exploit the situation in the State and extorting money from businessmen in the name of banned outfits,” the police chief told The Assam Tribune in Shillong on Monday. “Such small-time extortion bids by petty criminals have always been carried out not only in Meghalaya but throughout the country,” Sailo said. The police have nabbed quite of few of...

Shillong, May 31: Regional coalition partners of the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) breathed a sigh of relief today as chief minister D.D. Lapang made it clear that his government would continue in its current shape, without any changes. There was speculation in political circles that Lapang would part ways with regional partners like the United Democratic Party (UDP), the Meghalaya Democratic Party (MDP) and the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) and join hands with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Lapang has surprised political analysts and critics by...

SHILLONG, May 26 – Meghalaya Chief Minister DD Lapang yesterday scotched reports of dropping some of his allies from his Council of Ministers while denying alliance with NCP, reports PTI. “There is no substance in these reports. I do not find time to reply to those,” Lapang, a senior Congress leader, told a scribe who asked him to comment on his reported move to drop some of his coalition partners from the government. Lapang heads a Meghalaya Democratic Alliance comprising four parties and some independents.

There was a report in the section of the Press and strong rumour doing the rounds...

AIZAWL, May 26 : Mizoram council of ministers endorsed the draft prposals for laying down of arms by the underground Bru National Liberation Front (BNLF) cadres and repatriation of Brus lodged in Tripura relief camps, state Chief Secretary said here today. HV Lalringa told PTI that the decision was taken by the council of ministers which met yesterday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Zoramthanga.

Shillong, May 23: The power equation in Meghalaya is set to change with the Congress sealing an alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Delhi. Chief Minister D.D. Lapang, who heads the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government, has been advised by the party high command to explore the option of joining hands with the NCP even if it means antagonising a couple of his original allies. He is in New Delhi at present.

A source said the AICC had officially given the chief minister a free hand in choosing his coalition partners, but made it clear the high command would...

SHILLONG, May 23 – With the July 6 deadline for downsizing of the ministry just over a month away, permutations and combinations have become the order of the day in the political arena of the State. As per the new law, Meghalaya can have only 12 ministers in a House of sixty. Speculations are rife as to what could be the formula that Chief Minister D.D. Lapang, leader of the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic alliance (MDA) coalition would follow while downsizing his jumbo ministry. With the D-Day approaching, the guessing game has begun, and so has the politicking among the Congress party’s...

SHILLONG, May 17– While regional parties have proved to be forces to reckon with even at the Centre, regional politics in Meghalaya has been systematically weakened over the last decade, largely due to lack of clear-cut policies and factional bickerings. The regional outfits have failed to make their presence felt even in the arena of state politics as shown by the results of the Lok Sabha and last assembly elections in the state. The regional parties have been relegated to play the second fiddle to the Congress, which leads the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government in the State.

De...

Shillong, May 15: Syiem of Hima Mylliem, Laborious Manik Syiem, was voted out of power through a referendum by the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) last evening. The referendum against Laborious Syiem received the support of 27 of the 42 members present in the House. He was ousted a couple of years ago by the KHADC for alleged misappropriation of funds and other irregularities in the Mylliem Dorbar, but has been contesting the decision of the district council to remove him from the post. Latho Manik Syiem was appointed acting Syiem.

Soon after the ouster, Laborious moved court...

SHILLONG, May 14 – The poll verdict from Meghalaya's two Lok Sabha seats which returned both the incumbent MPs back to Parliament was on expected lines, reports PTI. Nationalist Trinamool Congress leader Purno Agitok Sangma retained his Tura seat for eighth time in a row and Congress veteran P R Kyndiah made a hat-trick from Shillong seat. Sangma, who reduced his winning margin to 72,763 this time from over 1.13 lakh in 1999 hustings, had proved he was still a 'force' to reckon with in North-east nothwithstanding the reverses he suffered in the run-up to the polls by losing the NCP symbol to...