Shillong: A day after eight new ministers were sworn in, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K. Sangma on Wednesday announced their portfolio allocations, retaining cabinet affairs and finance by himself.
The ministers — Wailadmiki Shylla, Timothy D. Shira, Brening A. Sangma and Sosthenes Sohtun from the National People’s Party, UDP legislators Metbah Lyngdoh and Lahkmen Rymbui, BJP’s Sanbor Shullai and HSPDP’s Methodius Dkhar — had taken oath at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday.
Deputy chief ministers Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar continue to hold their existing charges. Tynsong remains in charge of home (police), both wings of the public works department, district council affairs and parliamentary affairs. Dhar continues with urban affairs, transport, commerce and industries, and prisons and correctional services.
Cabinet minister Marcuise N. Marak has been given the soil and water conservation department in addition to his responsibilities for public health engineering and housing. Chief minister Sangma defended his decision to retain the Williamnagar legislator, calling Marak a “very senior member of the party” with a long record of commitment. “He has been with the party for a very long time and also from the historical background, even before the party (NPP) was formed, even in the NCP, he has been continuously in the party for a very long time. At the same time, he is also the working president of our party. Keeping in mind all of these factors, I felt that Marcuise N. Marak must continue and based on that, I have made my decision,” Sangma told journalists.
The chief minister also justified the removal of other NPP leaders, including Ampareen Lyngdoh and A.T. Mondal, stressing that the party had already ensured representation for non-tribal and women members in the first half of the cabinet’s term. “They had their representation in the first half, so obviously at the same time there were very senior leaders in the party who were with us for a very long time. So in the second half, we have decided to give based on that. It is not that we did not give them space at all to the non-tribal community or women community. We have given them representation in the first half and in the second half now we have decided to give others an opportunity also,” he explained.
{{/usCountry}}The chief minister also justified the removal of other NPP leaders, including Ampareen Lyngdoh and A.T. Mondal, stressing that the party had already ensured representation for non-tribal and women members in the first half of the cabinet’s term. “They had their representation in the first half, so obviously at the same time there were very senior leaders in the party who were with us for a very long time. So in the second half, we have decided to give based on that. It is not that we did not give them space at all to the non-tribal community or women community. We have given them representation in the first half and in the second half now we have decided to give others an opportunity also,” he explained.
{{/usCountry}}Among the high-profile allocations, UDP leader Metbah Lyngdoh has been handed the power, water resources, taxation and textiles portfolios, while Lahkmen Rymbui has been given education, revenue and disaster management, information and public relations, and law. Timothy D. Shira will now head tourism, agriculture and fisheries, while Brening A. Sangma takes charge of border area development, excise, and home (civil defence and home guards).
Sosthenes Sohtun has been allotted community and rural development, secretariat administration and general administration, while Wailadmiki Shylla, the youngest cabinet member, will oversee health and family welfare, sports and youth affairs, and home (passport). Sanbor Shullai has been given animal husbandry and veterinary, arts and culture, printing and stationery, and legal metrology. Completing the picture, HSPDP’s Methodius Dkhar has been entrusted with food civil supplies and consumer affairs, labour employment and skill development, registration and stamps, and cooperation.
The other ministers dropped from the council included NPP’s Comingone Ymbon, UDP’s Paul Lyngdoh and Kyrmen Shylla, HSPDP’s Shakliar Warjri and BJP’s A.L. Hek. Sangma insisted that the reshuffle was guided by the need to balance representation and provide opportunities to different groups and individuals across the political spectrum. “Cabinet reshuffles are never simple, but such steps are necessary to maintain balance and inclusivity. This mid-term change offers us an opportunity to reset and strengthen governance as we move into the next phase of our priorities,” he said.