Shillong, July 5 : Taking a cue from their Assam counterparts, several Congress legislators in Meghalaya, who were not accommodated in the MUA government, will soon leave for Delhi to seek the AICC’s intervention to effect a cabinet reshuffle.
The disgruntled Congress legislators of Meghalaya, including many senior party MLAs, will apprise the AICC leaders of their dissatisfaction over accommodating Independents at the cost of Congress legislators. They said the Congress needs to be strengthened before the 2013 Assembly elections.
A senior Congress legislator, on condition of anonymity, told this correspondent today that despite the party having 26 legislators in the House of 60, chief minister D.D. Lapang could not accommodate more than five Congress MLAs in his cabinet.
He voiced concern that senior Congress leaders, including H.D.R. Lyngdoh, Augustine Marak, F.W. Momin, Sayeedullah Nongrum and Rowell Lyngdoh were not accommodated in the ministry and instead, “non-performing” Independents were given cabinet berths, just to buy their support. “We want a cabinet reshuffle to ensure more representation from the Congress in the ministry,” the MLA said.
In the 12-member MUA ministry, besides chief minister Lapang the five other Congress ministers are Mukul Sangma from West Garo Hills, M.M. Danggo from West Khasi Hills, Ampareen Lyngdoh and Prestone Tynsong from East Khasi Hills and R.C. Laloo from Jaintia Hills.
The remaining cabinet berths are with Independents Limison Sangma and Ismail Marak and the lone KHNAM legislator Paul Lyngdoh who were instrumental in toppling the erstwhile Meghalaya Progressive Alliance government.
Another Independent, A.T. Mondal, was rewarded with a cabinet post since he had remained loyal to the Congress.
When the UDP extended support to the MUA government, the post of the deputy chief minister and a cabinet berth went to the party. There is also a division within the Congress over giving cabinet berth to Ampareen Lyngdoh who resigned as party MLA and joined the UDP before rejoining the Congress.