Shillong, Oct 13: Opposition members in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) today charged the Pynshngain N Syiem-led executive committee of misusing the central fund to destroy political parties.

Participating in the Zero Hour notice moved by Congress MDC D Wanlang during the last day of the session here on Friday, United Democratic Party (UDP) MDC from Umsning Donkupar Sumer said that Rs 133.12 crore central’s special assistance grant is like a “magnet” pulling all the members to the ruling side.

Though defection is a major crime in politics, he however said, “Most of the members have shifted their allegiance because of this central grant which is being used to destroy the political parties in the district council.”

On the other hand, Sumer also alleged that the PDF-led EC had misused over Rs 16 crore from the central fund. “If the CEM claims that all MDCs are getting Rs 3 crore each and that 30 crore is for Council’s assets, then where has the balance Rs 16 crore gone,” he said.

The Zero Hour Notice was to discuss on the RTI report which revealed that Nongpoh constituency had received the highest share while Laban constituency was receiving least from the Rs 133.12 crore.

In support, Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) MDC from Jaiaw Adelbert Nongrum said that the central special assistance scheme should instead be renamed as a “special assassination scheme” or “special ISIS scheme”.

The opposition members also expressed concern over the biasness of the Syiem-led EC in the distribution of the share to the MDCs especially those who were elected during the bye-elections held last year.

It may be mentioned here, UDP, HSPDP and KHNAM were earlier supporting the ruling People Democratic Forum (PDF) but later withdrew and decided to sit in the opposition along with the Congress, a party which suspended Syiem for three years.

Meanwhile, the KHADC chief PN Syiem in his reply assured that the EC would soon provide a report on the implementation of the central fund.

Claiming that his EC have tried its best to maintain a balance, Syiem however denied that there has been any misuse of the funds and instead said, “The fact is that there is no guidelines which say that MDC will get equal share.”

According to him, the grant coming from the Centre should not be mistaken as the Special Rural Works Programme (SRWP), popularly known as the MLA scheme. The reply of the CEM had irked the opposition members, who stated that it will affect them as the CEM is trying to mislead the people in their constituencies when earlier he had announced that all MDCs will be getting Rs 3 crore each.

“People will tend to blame us for misusing the money,” Congress opposition leader Manstudy Nongrem said.

Nongrem also urged the EC to introduce a law that will prevent the MDCs from shifting allegiance from one party to another. “It is the duty of the EC to address this concern,” he added.