Politics / Meghalaya

Shillong, Feb. 5: Meghalaya chief minister D.D. Lapang has accused former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A. Sangma of ?conniving? with militants to hold his own in Meghalaya politics.

Reacting to the open appeal by the Garo Hills-based outfit, the Achik National Volunteers? Council (ANVC), asking voters to support Sangma and his party in the February 12 district council elections, Lapang told the media today that the plea undoubtedly proved a close and clandestine link. ?It has proved beyond doubt that Sangma is involved with the ANVC,? Lapang said.

The outfit?s chairman, Dilash Marak alias Susime...

Tura, Feb. 2: Breaking its silence over the Centre and the Meghalaya government?s peace overtures, the banned Achik National Volunteers Council (ANVC) today said it was finally ready for talks.

In an e-mail to The Telegraph, its chairman Dilash Marak, alias Susime Marak, said a five-member delegation was constituted at the executive committee?s meeting on January 10 to finalise the modalities for peace talks.

This is the first clear statement by the ANVC chief, believed to be in Bangladesh, on the Centre and the Meghalaya government?s offer to hold a dialogue with the militant group.

Meghalay...

SHILLONG, Jan 31 ? Cadres of the banned militant outfit Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) of Meghalaya are trained in different camps in Bangladesh and have close links with a Khasia association of the neighbouring country, a senior police official said here today, reports PTI.

?They (HNLC) have their training camps at the Chittagong hill tracts and also got some safe houses at places like Srimangal, Maulavi bazar and Pannai,? Superintendent of Police in East Khasi Hills district, A S Rynjah, told reporters. At least 15-20 HNLC cadres were trained in each camp before they were...

SHILLONG, Dec 30 ? The Opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Meghalaya today said it had engaged noted jurist and constitutional expert Fali S Nariman to plead its case in the Supreme Court on January 5 next against six MLAs who had caused a split in the State unit earlier this month and joined Congress, reports PTI.

Talking to reporters here after the party?s general council meeting, national general secretary Purno A Sangma said, ?We are going to file the case in the Supreme Court on January 5, the day it reopens after the vacation. Noted constitutional expert and MP Fali Nariman...

TURA, Dec 20?In view of the Bhutan offensive against the ULFA, NDFB and KLO militants, and the likely attempt by the fleeing militants to enter West Garo Hills before crossing into Bangladesh, the entire border of Garo Hills with Assam has been sealed. Night curfew has been imposed in the bordering areas of Tikrikilla extending upto Goalpara in Assam, and the military-infested areas of Bajendoba and Pedaldoba in East Garo Hills. Two companies of the army are already inside the Garo Hills assisting three companies of the CRPF and the Garo Hills Police in sealing the Assam Garo Hills border. An...

SHILLONG, Dec 17 ? The Meghalaya Government is open to the proposal for suitable amendments to the Land Transfer Act in order to facilitate real estate transaction among the indigenous non-tribal residents of the State. Stating that the interests of the permanent non-tribal residents cannot be ?sidelined,? Chief Minister DD Lapang urged the members of the Legislative Assembly, NGOs and political parties to come forward with suggestions for amending the Act.

The existing Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act of 1971 restricts sale or transfer of immovabe properties among non-tribals...

SHILLONG, DEC 19 ? The four NCP deserters who were inducted into the Lapang ministry on December 15 were allocated portfolios today in a major reshuffle in the nine-month-old coalition government. Six NCP members had deserted the party on December 15 and formed the Meghalaya NCP (MNCP) and extended support to the Cong-led coalition government.

The induction of four more members in the ministry has increased the size of the council of ministry to an unprecedented 42 in a house of 60. The strength of the coalition is 49 with the rest accounted for by NCP (nine) and BJP (two). Among the...

TURA, Dec 17 ? The banned A?chik National Volunteers Council (ANVC) have issued its last warning urging non-Garos not to contest the coming Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections and have threatened retribution against anyone who refuses to follow its diktat.

In a communique to a section of the media the Commander-in-Chief of the ANVC, Jerome Momin, stated that unlike previous years this elections would be completely different because this time the ANVC would not permit any non-Garo from contesting the council elections from any of the twenty-nine constituencies of the Garo...

Shillong, Dec. 15: In a jolt to Meghalaya strongman P.A. Sangma, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) split in the state today. Chief minister D.D. Lapang today scored over his arch political rival, the former Lok Sabha Speaker, by first breaking up the NCP and then inducting four of its members into the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) coalition.

Led by Cyprian R. Sangma, six NCP legislators today announced their decision to break away from the NCP and form the Meghalaya Nationalist Congress Party (MNCP).

The split was announced by Speaker Martin Danggo on the first day of the winter...

Dawki, Dec. 15: Two years after Pyrdiwah, a border conflict of similar proportions is brewing near Dawki. Thousands of Bangladeshi boatmen have transgressed into a disputed area 150 yards from the Zero Point in Meghalaya and are trying to make further inroads with the Bangladesh Rifles? backing. Some have entered parts of Dawki and nearby Rongkhum.

The infiltrators were recently spotted collecting boulders from Dawki Khal with Bangladesh Rifles personnel deployed across the border keeping watch. The BSF reacted to the intrusion only after learning that a group of journalists were witness to it...