Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has turned the Constitution on its head to keep his post safe: he has given four MLAs perks and facilities allotted to the Chief Minister.
Former chief ministers D D Lapang and Donkupar Roy, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress chief Friday Lyngdoh and H S Lyngdoh, who heads the Hill State People's Democratic Party, are now at par with Sangma.
Lapang has been appointed chief advisor to the chief minister, and Roy has been made chairman of the Meghalaya State Planning Board, according to an official notification.
Friday Lyngdoh has been made chairman of the Programme Implementation Department, and H S Lyngdoh is the new chairman of the State Development Reforms Commission.
As many as 13 legislators and 16 former lesislators have been appointed to various boards and corporations.
In the 60-member Assembly, the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance coalition government has the support of 44 MLAs. The Congress has 28 MLAs but needs the support of the Hill State People's Democratic Party to stay in power.
No wonder then that the state has seen multiple chief ministers earlier too. Three MLAs, then planning board chairman Donkupar Roy, Meghalaya Economic Development Council (MEDC) chairman J D Rymbai and Friday Lyngdoh enjoyed the status and privileges of the Chief Minister when Lapang was Chief Minister.
Sangma scrapped these privileges and several other political appointments when he took over as chief minister on April 20 after Lapang's ouster following a revolt in the Congress. He now seems to have turned the clock back.
Comments
0 comment