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Mawlong staves off Meghalaya crisis, splits NCP
Meghalaya chief minister E K Mawlong Thursday staved off the crisis in his government following a split in key ally Nationalist Congress Party majority of whose 15 MLAs remained with the ruling coalition defying party high command`s directive to pull the rug.
Meghalaya chief minister E K Mawlong Thursday staved off the crisis in his government following a split in key ally Nationalist Congress Party majority of whose 15 MLAs remained with the ruling coalition defying party high command's directive to pull the rug.
Mawlong forced the split in NCP by undertaking an expansion of his one-and-half-year-old ministry and elevating to cabinet rank two of the 10 ministers of state belonging to the ally and giving ministerial berths to two more of its MLAs.
All the 12 NCP ministers were present at the swearing-in ceremony held Thursday in Shillong.
Earlier, NCP state president Robert Kharshing told reporters that the party withdrew support to Mawlong ministry on the directive of NCP high command. But a division in NCP came to the surface almost immediately when leader of NCP legislature group and planning and development minister Lotsing Sangma, tipped for deputy chief ministership, said the party continued to support the government.
In fact, Lotsing Sangma told newsmen that he had received instructions from P A Sangma to continue to support Mawlong.
Kharshing, on the other hand, said NCP MLAs met governor M M Jacob and conveyed to him withdrawal of support to Mawlong-led Meghalaya Parliamentary Forum coalition which had a strength of 41 in the 60-member state assembly. Raj Bhavan sources confirmed NCP had submitted a letter withdrawing support.
Bureau Report
All the 12 NCP ministers were present at the swearing-in ceremony held Thursday in Shillong.
Earlier, NCP state president Robert Kharshing told reporters that the party withdrew support to Mawlong ministry on the directive of NCP high command. But a division in NCP came to the surface almost immediately when leader of NCP legislature group and planning and development minister Lotsing Sangma, tipped for deputy chief ministership, said the party continued to support the government.
In fact, Lotsing Sangma told newsmen that he had received instructions from P A Sangma to continue to support Mawlong.
Kharshing, on the other hand, said NCP MLAs met governor M M Jacob and conveyed to him withdrawal of support to Mawlong-led Meghalaya Parliamentary Forum coalition which had a strength of 41 in the 60-member state assembly. Raj Bhavan sources confirmed NCP had submitted a letter withdrawing support.
Bureau Report