Meghalaya Congress on Wednesday mounted a scathing attack on Conrad K. Sangma-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government, demanding either the induction of the Chief Minister’s wife Mehtab Chandee Sangma or Sutnga-Saipung MLA Santa Merry Shylla—who had defeated Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Vincent H. Pala—into the council of ministers.
In Meghalaya’s fiercely matrilineal ethos, where women have historically commanded both respect and representation, the Congress accused the ruling dispensation of orchestrating a “betrayal of women and minorities” by executing a reshuffle that perpetuates a lopsided, male-dominated power structure.
Asked, whether Congress wanted former minister Ampareen Lyngdoh to remain in the cabinet, MPCC Secretary Manuel Badwar clarified, “It need not be Ampareen as there are two other female legislators are there in NPP.” He also flagged the exclusion of minority communities from the reshuffle, branding the new cabinet “unbalanced.”
Mahila Congress President Joplyn Shylla said, “The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) strongly criticizes the MDA Government for its blatant disregard towards women and minority representation in governance. Despite having many competent leaders within the ruling coalition, this Government has failed to appoint even a single one as minister.”
Turning the discourse into a larger indictment of governance, she added, “This is not only an insult to the women and other communities of Meghalaya. There is no regard for competency and balance of power, but creating a lobsided approach to wield the sword of power for a few that toil the line of the powers in Delhi. It’s a betrayal of the very foundation of our matrilineal society, where women have always been held in the highest respect.”
The Congress leadership further charged the NPP-BJP regime with cartel politics, arguing that the cabinet rejig sidelined female voices in governance. “Instead of empowering women, the NPP-BJP Government has chosen to promote cartel politics, side lining the voices of women and neglecting the ethics and traditions of our society. It is shameful that the ruling dispensation pays only lip service to women’s empowerment while, in practice, showing discrimination and disrespect towards them. By denying women their rightful place in decision-making, the MDA Government has failed the people of Meghalaya and tarnished its proud legacy of gender respect,” Joplyn Shylla asserted.
The Congress’ attack comes against the backdrop of glaring statistics: of the 60-member Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, only four are women. On the treasury benches, the MDA 2.0 coalition commands 51 legislators, but just three are women—and all three from the National People’s Party (NPP). Neither the BJP nor the UDP nor the HSPDP has a single female MLA, while the opposition with nine legislators counts only one woman among them.
The Tuesday reshuffle marked the first cabinet shake-up of the MDA 2.0 regime, with Chief Minister Sangma dropping as many as eight ministers in a mid-term recalibration aimed at balancing regional aspirations and coalition compulsions. Heavyweights and debutants were shuffled in a delicate political manoeuvre: Rakkam A. Sangma and A.T. Mondal made way for Brening Sangma and T.D. Shira, while Ampareen Lyngdoh ceded her berth to Sosthenes Sohtun. The UDP strongmen Kyrmen Shylla and Paul Lyngdoh were replaced by Metbah Lyngdoh and Lahkmen Rymbui. The BJP’s A.L. Hek gave way to Sanbor Shullai, and HSPDP’s Shakliar Warjri was replaced by Methodius Dkhar.
But beneath this carefully calibrated reshuffle, the opposition has now placed the political narrative squarely on gender justice and inclusivity—an issue that could resonate far beyond the cabinet room and strike at the ideological legitimacy of a government ruling over a matrilineal society.
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