SHILLONG, JUL 2: Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday reshuffled his cabinet by inducting three-time BJP legislator from South Shillong Sanbor Shullai.
Shullai replaced his party colleague Alexander Laloo Hek, who was holding the portfolios of Health & Family Welfare, Home (Prison) and Arts & Culture.
The swearing in ceremony of the new minister in the three and half-year-old NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government was held at the banquet hall of Raj Bhavan in Shillong.
The oath of office was administered by the Governor Satya Pal Malik.
Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong, cabinet ministers, BJP state president Ernest Mawrie and other dignitaries were present during the swearing in ceremony.
Speaking to media persons, Sangma informed that the decision to reshuffle the cabinet came after he received a letter from the BJP state president, who proposed that Shullai be inducted into the cabinet as per commitment given in 2018.
“Shullai had also been stressing on the fact many times to me and to the party leadership also that he should be inducted as per understanding that was there in 2018…based on that and the written letter I received, we have gone ahead with the swearing in of Shullai into the cabinet today,” he said.
The Chief Minister also recalled that when the MDA government was formed in 2018, there was a discussion between Shullai and AL Hek that they will be sharing the cabinet berth adding this was held in front of all senior leaders of the BJP.
“When two and a half years was completed, the president of the party at that point was Ernest Mawrie and it was no longer Shibun Lyngdoh. Therefore, since Ernest Mawrie was not privy to the meeting in 2018, there was a slight communication gap,” he said.
“I did not want to come into the matters of the party and therefore I had left the decision to the party to decide on how to move forward. I did not get any communication from the party and therefore, we did not go ahead as I don’t want to interfere in party matters,” he added.
Regarding the portfolios, the Chief Minister said that he will be sitting and taking a final call on the matter. “So please give me a few days. I will look into the matter and the decision will be made in that line,” he stated.
Asked what about the other coalition partners like the UDP and PDF, Sangma however said there was no discussion that took place in front of him as far as the two political parties are concerned.
“Therefore I don’t want to comment on that. Apart from that any decision that the party makes is their internal matter and the party will have to take the decision,” he said.
The Chief Minister further ruled out any possibility of reshuffling the cabinet berths among the NPP MLAs. “No there is nothing like that on the cards yet,” he maintained.
Earlier, an elated Shullai told reporters that his induction as new cabinet minister was as per the decision of the BJP central leadership.
“We are a national party and a discipline party so whatever directives given by the central high command, we have to comply and abide by that…Although Delhi is quite far but they have eyes around and are looking at what Sanbor is doing, what party is doing so based on that I think they have considered,” he said.
Asked, the three-time legislator said that he does not want to say anything regarding the portfolios as this is the prerogative of the Chief Minister.
He however said that he would continue to work for the interest of the people of his constituency and the state as whole.
By Our Reporter
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