Day: May 1, 2023

SHILLONG, MAY 1: The Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) on Monday asserted the need to do away with the implementation of the MLA scheme in the state.

This came as a strong reaction to a statement made by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong during an election campaign at Sohiong constituency that the “MLA scheme are meant to benefit only those voters/supporters who support the party/candidate during the election and that all 60 MLAs are doing the same”.

“His (Tynsong) statement has made it clear that the Rs 12.5 Cr of each MLA is a freebie used by politicians for political benefits which is against the guidelines of the Election Commission of India,” KHNAM vice president Thomas Passah said in a statement.

“Looking at the statement of Dy CM, it will be right to say that the MLA scheme should be done away with and all development work/activities should be channelized through the BDO, District Administration, in this way we can ensure better execution of work, timely completion and accountability. This will also ensure that businessmen are not attracted to politics for business purposes,” he added.

Passah reminded that the objective of MLA scheme is to create local need based infrastructure, to create assets of public utility and to remove regional imbalances in development and not to promote political interest as done in the State of Meghalaya.

He however said it is also seen that most of the MLA implement these Schemes funded at the cause of exchequers through a committee which is formed and headed by the MLA itself which allows them to manage corruption through this scheme.

“When we talk about MLA Scheme in Urban areas, we have seen that the success of its implementation is very low, wherein the same work is being done again and again because the quality of work is very low thereby wasting the public money. We have also seen the MLA mostly accumulate the 5 years amount for use one year before election, which clearly implies that they are using the scheme for political mileage,” he added.

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SHILLONG, MAY 1: BJP state president Ernest Mawrie on Monday said the party is not aware about the initiative taken up by its MLA from Pynthorumkhrah and cabinet minister AL Hek to discuss with the AITC leaders for merging with the BJP.

Speaking to media persons, Mawrie said, “No information received by us till today whether the TMC MLAs will join us, we are not aware.”

He said the party only saw that Hek had given a statement in the press that he had discussed with the AITC leaders over a cup of tea.

Stating that everybody is welcome to join the BJP, Mawrie said, “But there should be a communication from the state and the Centre as that is the way it works.”

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SHILLONG, MAY 1: BJP state president Ernest Mawrie said whether he should continue to hold the post will be decided by the central leadership of the party.

Speaking to media persons, Mawrie said he had already completed his three-year term as president of the party.

“Whether I continue or discontinue that will be decided by the central leadership,” he said.

He said it was very wrong on the part of the party MLA from Pynthorumkhrah, AL Hek, who is also cabinet minister, to state that there was a move to oust him as the state president.

He said in fact the Defence minister Rajnath Singh had announced during the national executive committee held in Delhi on January 13, 2023 that term of the national president JP Nadda has been extended till June 24, 2024.

Therefore, until and unless the Centre announces the election of the national president, the state cannot hold election, he said.

When asked, the BJP state president denied that there is any division in the party and said, “Everybody has their own aspiration and we cannot stop that.”

He said that the party will direct the Pynthorumkhrah MLA not openly go to the press against the party. He said that the party is also waiting for the direction of the Centre on whether to issue a show cause notice to Hek.

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SHILLONG, MAY 1: The Election Commission of India has recognized the Voice of the People Party as a State Party in Meghalaya with its reserved symbol ‘Winnower’.

This was based on a review of the poll performance of the VPP in the 2023 Assembly elections.

The VPP, a newly floated political party, has won 4 seats in the 59-member Assembly.

In a letter to the president of the VPP Ardent M Basaiawmoit, ECI Under Secretary Manish Kumar said, “I am directed to state that on the basis of review of poll performance the Commission vide its letter dated April 10, 2023, granted recognition to the Voice of the People Party as a State Party in the State of Meghalaya under the provisions of the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order, 1968.”

“Further, it is also to inform that as per the request vide letter dated April 11, 2023 to allot “Winnower” as its reserved symbol, the said symbol “Winnower” has been allotted as the reserved symbol of the Party in the state of Meghalaya,” Kumar added.

He further informed that a Notification in this regard will be issued in due course.

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