Guwahati: Intense political drama has been unfolding in Meghalaya’s capital, Shillong, this weekend, days ahead of the new government taking charge. The issue is that of two newly elected members of the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) lending support to the National People’s Party (NPP)-led alliance, against their own party’s decision.
While the HSPDP leadership remains hopeful that Methodius Dkhar and Shakliar Warjri will return, various pressure groups have set a 6 March deadline for the duo to withdraw their support to NPP’s Conrad Sangma. Unconfirmed reports suggest the two legislators are holed up at a Guwahati hotel.
Late Friday, there was an arson attempt at the office of a firm where Mawshynrut MLA Methodius Dkhar is a director. This came after Sangma took to Twitter, announcing he had the support of 32 newly elected members from NPP, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), HSPDP, and two Independents to form the government “in alliance with the NPP.”
Submitted the letter of support to the Hon’ble Governor, Sh. Shri Phagu Chauhan Ji signed by 32 Hon’ble MLAs of the NPP, BJP, HSPDP and 2 Independent to form the Government in alliance with the NPP. pic.twitter.com/AY7xhSV8LR
— Conrad K Sangma (@SangmaConrad) March 3, 2023
On Saturday, amid tight security, hundreds attended a joint public meeting in Shillong as local organisations and activists from the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), the Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization (HITO) and the Ka Sur U Paidbah 7Trep (KSUPH) came together, denouncing the decision taken by the HSPDP leaders. They also burned their effigies during the demonstration in the Barabazar area.
“What the HSPDP MLAs did is a betrayal to the aspirations of the Hynniewtrep people (eastern Meghalaya referred to as the land of Ri Hynniewtrep – the “Seven Huts” comprising the people in districts of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills, and Ri Bhoi),” HYC general secretary Roykupar Synrem told reporters at the venue.
“Today’s meeting was to condemn the action of these two MLAs and demand withdrawal of their support for the NPP,” Synrem added.
Meanwhile, former deputy chief minister and NPP leader Prestone Tynsong told media persons in Shillong Saturday that they are in talks with “other parties”, not denying that they also approached former alliance partner, the United Democratic Party (UDP) that won 11 seats. Sangma will be sworn in as the Chief Minister Tuesday, added Prestone.
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Curious case of HSPDP MLAs
While Sangma appeared confident of a second term in office, elected representatives and members of six other political parties, including TMC leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma, huddled at the residence of outgoing Home minister Lakhmen Rymbui in Shillong Friday evening. They met to explore the possibility of forming a coalition government led by the regional United Democratic Party (UDP).
Gathered there were the elected representatives and members of the UDP, the HSPDP, the People’s Democratic Front (PDF), the Congress, the TMC, and Voice of the People’s Party (VPP). Of these, the UDP and the HSPDP were part of the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government formed in 2018.
The coalition arrangement against Sangma claimed to have 31 MLAs, including two Independents, but the numbers didn’t add up. In attendance were 29 — 11 from the UDP, five each from the Congress and the TMC, four from the VPP, and two each from the HSPDP and the PDF. Taking part in the discussion were HSPDP’s Methodius Dkhar and Shakliar Warjri along with their party president, K.P. Pangniang. But they reportedly slipped out of the room, ostensibly to have tea.
“They were with us when various parties discussed how to find a solution to form the new government in Meghalaya. But, we regret to inform you that after 2-3 hours, they went missing. Till now, we don’t know about their whereabouts,” Pangniang told TV channels at Rymbui’s residence after frantically trying to locate the two over phone.
“I have nothing to say about their decision, it’s not the party’s,” Pangniang added, mentioning that they learned about the development only through media reports that showed photographs of Dkhar and Warjri with Sangma, holding a letter of support to the NPP-led alliance government with the BJP as a constituent.
The HSPDP vetoed their decision and wrote a letter to NPP chief Sangma Friday, stating the party had not authorised the two MLAs to lend support to government formation.
“The party (HSPDP) has no role in this affair, and therefore, withdraw our support to your party (NPP),” read the letter. The party sent a copy to Governor Phagu Chauhan’s office as well. ThePrint also has a copy of the letter.
Demands for a Khasi CM
Meanwhile, there has been a rising demand for a Khasi chief minister in the state. Talking to media over the issue at Raj Bhavan Saturday, Conrad Sangma said, “Yes, sentiments are always there, but there’s a process and it’s been followed. It’s not about an individual from a particular community. That is not how democracy works. It is based on the mandate given by the people, which we should all accept.”
Earlier, TMC leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma claimed that the UDP will lead the new alliance in the state with the support of his party, and the Congress, adding that the state may get a Chief Minister from the Khasi Hills.
“There is no such discrimination as Khasi or Garo. The chief minister can be from the Khasi hills. What is the problem? …We have had the late B.B. Lyngdoh. We had the late E.K. Mawlong. And we had the late Captain Williamson Sangma,” he told the media Saturday.
Political analyst and Professor Prasenjit Biswas of North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) told ThePrint, “The demand for a Khasi CM is very strong. But this is a sign of political instability that is going to grow in the coming days.”
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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