SHILLONG, May 8 – Former Lok Sabha Speaker and NCP leader Purno A Sangma’s illustrious political career received a setback after he and his two sons, Conrad and James Sangma were all served disqualification notices by Assembly Speaker Bindo M Lanong today. The Speaker served the notices after complaints were filed by Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA) legislators, Nimarson Momin, Manas Chaudhuri and others against the father-son trio for switching sides from the MPA.
Lanong while issuing the notices have given seven days’ time to Purno Sangma and his two sons to respond to the notices. The complainants said the three NCP legislators by “initiating and spearheading the move to leave the MPA and join the Congress, attracted provisions of the 10th Schedule,” and demanded their disqualification from the Assembly.
“I received the complaint last night and found prima facie a case of disqualification is made against all the three legislators and accordingly served the show-cause notices,” Lanong said addressing the media.
The Speaker said, the MPA being an “umbrella of political parties” is one large political unit and Purno Sangma and his sons by switching sides have attracted disqualification proceedings under provisions of the 10th Schedule.
“Purno Sangma and Conrad Sangma met Congress leaders in New Delhi to revoke President’s Rule to help forge a Congress-NCP alliance and later issued press statements in this regard. This is one of the bases on which notices were served to them,” Lanong said justifying his action.
Purno Sangma was one of the key architects in the formation of MPA. He is the chairman of the alliance, while his son Conrad Sangma and former finance minister is the MPA secretary. His other son, James Sangma was the conveynor of the Common Minimum Programme of the MPA.
Lanong said, he didn’t wish to be remembered as a biased Speaker because he had earlier served similar disqualification notices and later disqualified four MPA legislators - Sanbor Shullai (NCP), Paul Lyngdoh of Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement and two Independents, Ismail R Marak and Limison D Sangma - for switching sides from the alliance on April 8.
With today’s development the political crisis has worsened in Meghalaya. The United Democratic Party (UDP) a key ally of the MPA has also sent feelers to the Congress to form the next government after learning about NCP’s “betrayal.”
The NCP has 14 legislators, while the Congress has 26 MLAs in the truncated Assembly of 55 members in the 60 member House, after four MLAs were disqualified and one resigned. The UDP meanwhile has nine MLAs, Hill State People’s Democratic Party has two, BJP one and Independents three.
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President’s Rule revoked in Meghalaya
NEW DELHI, May 8 – The UPA Government has revoked President’s Rule in Meghalaya late this evening, paving the way for formation of a Congress-led alliance government with NCP. An emergent meeting of the Union Cabinet convened by Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh deliberated on Governor, R S Mushahary’s report on revocation of the President’s Rule, that was imposed in the State on March 19.
The Union Cabinet’s endorsement of the Governor’s report had become a mere formality after the Congress with 27 MLAs including one independent and 14 NCP legislators sealed a deal that was brokered by senior Congress leaders.
Former CLP Leader, DD Lapang, who is a forerunner for the post of the Chief Minister and NCP leader PA Sangma were engaged in hectic negotiations to formulate the modalities of the new alliance. The Congress, which on its own was in a position to form a government, was reportedly reluctant to make major concessions barring two ministerial berths, sources said.
The NCP leader, on the other hand, has sought a post of Deputy Chief Minister besides equal number of ministerial posts, sources confided.
After several rounds of bargaining, Sangma allegedly scaled down the demand to 60:40 (Congress-NCP). A Congress insider claimed that Lapang was prepared to part with only two ministerial berths. Lapang along with several of his key MLA supporters is camping in the capital.
The development, however, seals the fate of the Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA) alliance partners, who may have no options but to sit in the opposition.
Meghalaya was placed under President’s Rule after the then NCP-led MPA Government survived a trust vote on the floor of the state Assembly through a controversial decision by the Speaker.
Speaker B M Lanong cast his vote when there was a 27:27 tie in the 60-member House during division.
The tiebreaker came after the Speaker declared invalid the votes cast by four of the five members he suspended hours before the trial of strength on March 17. The action brought down the Congress tally, which had gone up to 31, to 27. The disqualification of the MLAs has been challenged in the Supreme Court.
The Donkupar Roy-led coalition government was reduced to a minority on March 9 following withdrawal of support to the MPA by two independent MLAs Limison Sangma and Ismail R Marak. The crisis was heightened on March 11, when the lone MLA from Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) Paul Lyngdoh, who is also Urban Affairs Minister, pulled out.
Source: http://www.assamtribune.com
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Lanong while issuing the notices have given seven days’ time to Purno Sangma and his two sons to respond to the notices. The complainants said the three NCP legislators by “initiating and spearheading the move to leave the MPA and join the Congress, attracted provisions of the 10th Schedule,” and demanded their disqualification from the Assembly.
“I received the complaint last night and found prima facie a case of disqualification is made against all the three legislators and accordingly served the show-cause notices,” Lanong said addressing the media.
The Speaker said, the MPA being an “umbrella of political parties” is one large political unit and Purno Sangma and his sons by switching sides have attracted disqualification proceedings under provisions of the 10th Schedule.
“Purno Sangma and Conrad Sangma met Congress leaders in New Delhi to revoke President’s Rule to help forge a Congress-NCP alliance and later issued press statements in this regard. This is one of the bases on which notices were served to them,” Lanong said justifying his action.
Purno Sangma was one of the key architects in the formation of MPA. He is the chairman of the alliance, while his son Conrad Sangma and former finance minister is the MPA secretary. His other son, James Sangma was the conveynor of the Common Minimum Programme of the MPA.
Lanong said, he didn’t wish to be remembered as a biased Speaker because he had earlier served similar disqualification notices and later disqualified four MPA legislators - Sanbor Shullai (NCP), Paul Lyngdoh of Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement and two Independents, Ismail R Marak and Limison D Sangma - for switching sides from the alliance on April 8.
With today’s development the political crisis has worsened in Meghalaya. The United Democratic Party (UDP) a key ally of the MPA has also sent feelers to the Congress to form the next government after learning about NCP’s “betrayal.”
The NCP has 14 legislators, while the Congress has 26 MLAs in the truncated Assembly of 55 members in the 60 member House, after four MLAs were disqualified and one resigned. The UDP meanwhile has nine MLAs, Hill State People’s Democratic Party has two, BJP one and Independents three.
-------------------
President’s Rule revoked in Meghalaya
NEW DELHI, May 8 – The UPA Government has revoked President’s Rule in Meghalaya late this evening, paving the way for formation of a Congress-led alliance government with NCP. An emergent meeting of the Union Cabinet convened by Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh deliberated on Governor, R S Mushahary’s report on revocation of the President’s Rule, that was imposed in the State on March 19.
The Union Cabinet’s endorsement of the Governor’s report had become a mere formality after the Congress with 27 MLAs including one independent and 14 NCP legislators sealed a deal that was brokered by senior Congress leaders.
Former CLP Leader, DD Lapang, who is a forerunner for the post of the Chief Minister and NCP leader PA Sangma were engaged in hectic negotiations to formulate the modalities of the new alliance. The Congress, which on its own was in a position to form a government, was reportedly reluctant to make major concessions barring two ministerial berths, sources said.
The NCP leader, on the other hand, has sought a post of Deputy Chief Minister besides equal number of ministerial posts, sources confided.
After several rounds of bargaining, Sangma allegedly scaled down the demand to 60:40 (Congress-NCP). A Congress insider claimed that Lapang was prepared to part with only two ministerial berths. Lapang along with several of his key MLA supporters is camping in the capital.
The development, however, seals the fate of the Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA) alliance partners, who may have no options but to sit in the opposition.
Meghalaya was placed under President’s Rule after the then NCP-led MPA Government survived a trust vote on the floor of the state Assembly through a controversial decision by the Speaker.
Speaker B M Lanong cast his vote when there was a 27:27 tie in the 60-member House during division.
The tiebreaker came after the Speaker declared invalid the votes cast by four of the five members he suspended hours before the trial of strength on March 17. The action brought down the Congress tally, which had gone up to 31, to 27. The disqualification of the MLAs has been challenged in the Supreme Court.
The Donkupar Roy-led coalition government was reduced to a minority on March 9 following withdrawal of support to the MPA by two independent MLAs Limison Sangma and Ismail R Marak. The crisis was heightened on March 11, when the lone MLA from Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) Paul Lyngdoh, who is also Urban Affairs Minister, pulled out.
Source: http://www.assamtribune.com
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