UDP MLAs ‘not’ consulted on demand to remove power minister: Rymbui

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 23, 2021

The demand for power minister James K Sangma’s ouster has stirred up a rift in the United Democratic Party as its cabinet minister, Lahkmen Rymbui on Tuesday revealed that the parliamentary party was not aware of such a decision.

This came a day after the UDP general secretary and former Nongthymmai legislator Jemino Mawthoh shot a letter to the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma demanding for immediate removal of the power minister and CMD of MeECL over the power crisis issue.

When asked, Rymbui told reporters that the legislators of the party were never consulted on the letter.

“To the best of my knowledge, we have not discussed in our parliamentary party regarding this issue of dropping anybody or stripping of portfolios. This demand has never come from the parliamentary party of the UDP,” he said.

Rymbui is holding charge of Home (Police), Education, District Council Affairs (DCA), Border Area Development departments.

The UDP is the main ally of the National People’s Party-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government.

Denying there are any differences between the parliamentary party and the central executive committee of the UDP, he however said, “it is just a miscommunication and that I don’t see that there is any difference.”

According to him, although the issue taken up by the party is right, the process of wider consultation is not there.

Stating that there is an internal forum in the MDA to resolve any issues concerning the government, the minister said, “We have the MDA coordination committee. If there are any issues or differences this is the right forum to discuss and trash it out.”  

Reiterating that UDP is not a divided house, Rymbui however said, “We have already discussed among the MLAs about this crisis but regarding the letter (sent to the CM), I am telling you I was never consulted. They should have consulted me.”

“As a coalition partner without going through proper mechanisms, what is the point of staying in the government better you pulled out. So it is a question of how to approach, there is a coordination committee which oversees any issue to trash out…so bring this issue to that committee which comprises all the coalition partners, not only MLAs but all coalition partners represented by senior members so that they will trash out. Let us hope we can discuss if there are any differences in the party or outside the party, we could solve this only through mutual discussion,” he added.

On the other hand, Rymbui informed that the cabinet as a whole have discussed the issue of power crisis with the chief minister Conrad K Sangma. “He (CM) has assured us that he will see how this can be resolved (at the earliest),” he said.