GUWAHATI Congress has helped the National People’s Party (NPP), an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party, topple a Meghalaya tribal council headed led by the United Democratic Party (UDP).
On June 20, the NPP’s member of district council (MDC), Pyniaid Sing Syiem was elected as the new chief executive member of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) unopposed.
His elevation came less than 24 hours after six Congress MDCs helped the NPP win a no-trust motion to oust the UDP’s Titosstarwell Chyne as the chief executive member.
Congress is a rival of the NPP in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly. The UDP is one of the minor allies of the NPP in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance 2.0 government in the State.
The NPP-Congress combine has the support of 18 members while Chyne had the backing of 12 members.
The NPP has 12 MDCs in the KHADC followed by 10 of UDP, six of Congress, and one of the Hill State People’s Democratic Party. One member is an independent.
“We shall try to live up the expectations of the people during the remaining term of the council, which was headed by the UDP for four years,” Mr Syiem said after taking over as the KHADC chief.
Mr Chyne, his predecessor, said he was “backstabbed by friends” and that his ouster was “an act of betrayal by the NPP”.
He slammed Congress for supporting the NPP in the KHADC after accusing the Conrad K. Sangma-led party of being the B-team of the BJP. “The no-confidence motion was without any reason,” he said.
Congress MDC, Ronnie V. Lyngdoh defended his party’s decision to support the NPP. He said decisions were being taken in the council whimsically without consulting the members of its executive committee. He also pointed out that the NPP’s relationship with the BJP was not a factor since the latter has no presence in the KHADC.
“The situation in the KHADC was such that Governor’s Rule could have been imposed had we not supported the NPP,” he said.
The KHADC has jurisdiction over four districts dominated by the Khasi community. The rest of Meghalaya is divided unequally between the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council.
