Senior legislator Paul Lyngdoh was on Monday sworn in as the 12th Cabinet minister in the Conrad K. Sangma-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) 2 government, marking his second Cabinet induction in three years. Meghalaya Governor C.H. Vijayashankar administered the oath of office and secrecy at Lok Bhawan in Shillong in the presence of Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, Deputy Chief Ministers Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar, Cabinet ministers and legislators of the NPP and its alliance partners. Lyngdoh, who recently left the United Democratic Party (UDP) to join the National People’s Party (NPP), fills the vacancy created by UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh’s resignation on October 31. The development comes amid the UDP’s biggest political setback since its formation in 1997. In less than 40 days, the party has been reduced from 12 elected legislators to just one following the departure of 11 MLAs. Eight legislators — Lahkmen Rymbui, Ollan Singh Suin, Pius Marwein, Kyrmen Shylla, Mathew Beyondstar Kurbah, Mayralborn Syiem, Balajied Kupar Synrem and Synshar Kupar Roy — merged with the BJP, taking its strength from two to 10 after the Speaker recognised the merger on October 16. Subsequently, Paul Lyngdoh, Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar and Nujorki Sungoh joined the NPP, increasing its strength from 33 to 36 and leaving Metbah as the UDP’s lone MLA.
Amid speculation that the BJP could secure another Cabinet berth, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma ruled out further inductions, citing the constitutional ceiling of 12 ministers.
Asked why another BJP legislator was not inducted, he said, “So, basically, we don’t have …well if I had another five six small cabinet ministers to induct and the constitutional provisions allowed me. Maybe I would have seen the provisions and inducted other ministers also, but there is a limit to the number of ministers, And therefore we have to Work on the basis of 12 numbers, So it’s it’s basically as simple as that, and it’s not possible for us to accommodate anybody else from any other political party, or in fact, anybody from NPP also at this point in time.”
On whether Paul Lyngdoh would be given the Tourism portfolio, he said, “I will be taking the decision, in a day or so and once there is done. What portfolios will be given to him, those decisions will be made in the course of time. I have not come to my final conclusion and as soon as I do that, by tomorrow, I expect that you should be able to Know about the portfolios.”
Denying any pressure on Metbah Lyngdoh to resign, the CM said, “Not at all. To be very Frank with you.” He acknowledged that political decisions could be difficult, stating, “Sometimes in politics, it’s not that you make decisions there are always very pleasing or decisions that you are, always happy about. Sometimes decisions are very tough to be very, very frank, and It’s not simple for us also to take those decisions. It’s not that we want to take those decisions, but things happen. And in politics, and in governance, we we need to take tough decisions.”
Maintaining that Metbah’s resignation was entirely voluntary, Conrad said, “But coming to Metbah Lyngdoh’s decision to quit cabinet, it was purely his own decision, there was no Pressure from our side as such. He strongly felt that, that 11 of the MLAs has left, and so he felt that on moral ground that he should not be part of the cabinet, and he met me, of course, and he shared that information with me and. I also said that, yes, in a situation like that the calculations and the numbers are complicated for all of us, and so therefore when inform me and he gave the letter to me, I accepted the resignation.”
