M A I N   N E W S

4 NCP rebels in Lapang govt
P.A. Sangma blames Congress for crisis

Shillong, December 15
With the induction of four of the six rebel National Congress Party (NCP) MLAs into the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government this evening, the size of the D.D. Lapang-led Council of Ministers rose to 42, including 10 Ministers of State.

The ruling coalition now has 49 members in the 60-member House.

Meghalaya Governor M.M. Jacob administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Cyprian Sangma, Mr Elston D. Marak, also the former Speaker, Mr Beckster K. Sangma and Mr Brening A. Sangma. Other two rebels are Mr Samuel Sangma and Mr Nidhuram Hajong.

Immediately after the swearing-in, Mr C.R. Sangma, the leader of the new political outfit, told reporters that the new platform would be known as Meghalaya Nationalist Congress Party (MNCP) and it was floated to serve the people of the state in a more effective way.

Chief Minister D.D. Lapang of the Congress said the increase in the number of ministers would in no way affect the economy of the state as the legislators would get chances to serve the people with more involvement.

Mr Lapang said distribution of portfolio would be carried out soon.

Earlier, in the day, the 14-member NCP split with six of them forming the Meghalaya Nationalist Congress Party and its legislature wing known as the MNCLP. Speaker Martin M. Danggo informed the house of their decision and their request for recognition and allotment of separate seats.

NEW DELHI: Senior NCP leader Purno A. Sangma on Monday blamed the Congress for engineering a split in the party’s Meghalaya unit and claimed that the MLAs who formed a splinter group would be disqualified under the anti-defection law.

The former Lok Sabha Speaker said as the split had occurred in the legislature party and not in the original party, “the MLAs would be disqualified soon as per the Anti-Defection Law.”

However, rebel NCP leader Cyprian R. Sangma said in Shillong that the splinter group would not attract anti-defection for they enjoyed the strength of six out of the party’s 14 MLAs. — Agencies