Shillong, May 8: Another MDC of the People’s Democratic Front (PDF) in Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), Grace Mary Kharpuri has decided to revolt against its leader, P.N. Syiem who is also the Chief Executive Member of the Council, and demanded investigation by the CBI into the alleged misappropriation of Rs 28 crore.

The PDF MDC from Non gskhen also accused the KHADC chief of threatening her if she fails to resign as an executive member (EM) for raising question on the matter.

Kharpuri was dropped as EM from the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA)-led Executive Committee by the CEM.

Besides Kharpuri, the CEM had also dropped Mawhati MDC James Sylliang as EM.

Last month, four PDF MDCs have signed in a letter submitted to the PDF president requesting to convene a meeting to discuss on the need to change the leader in KHADC.

Speaking to reporters here, Kharpuri said, “I strongly demand for a CBI inquiry into the misappropriation of Rs 28 crore out of Rs 33 crore which was sanctioned by Centre to the Council.”

The MDC alleged that Syiem had taken the decision to use the fund only on Council’s assets without the knowledge of other EMs while taking advantage that all of them were busy with Assembly elections held on February 27 this year.

She said that the matter came to light only after members from other political parties including the UDP, HSPDP and Congress raised the issue and had also confronted the CEM for the alleged misuse of the fund.

“It clearly shows that the CEM had done this by abusing his powers for his own personal benefit as none of the MDCs were aware and there was no tender called for utilizing the fund on various projects,” she said.

“To allot up to Rs 7 crore works to a single contractor, you can imagine the percentage (commission) he (Syiem) is getting,” Kharpuri said while reiterating that she would take steps to ensure that the CBI comes in, and investigate into this misuse of public fund by the CEM.

The MDC also said that she would decide whether she would file a complaint to the State Level Committee headed by the chief secretary on the failure of the CEM to convene the meeting of the district level committee before submitting schemes for its approval.

“The fund should have been utilized for the development of 29 constituencies which is also as per the guidelines. On the other hand, I failed to understand how by investing the money on Council’s assets it would generate revenue for the Council,” she said.

Kharpuri further informed that as an EM in-charge of Forest, she had time and again urged the CEM to consider taking up rubber plantation in the Arodonga plantation which will generate a lot of revenue for the Council but to no avail.

Claiming that she was threatened, the Nongskhen MDC, displayed a text message sent to her by the CEM and said, “He (CEM) has threatened me by saying ‘Just tell me, you will resign or shall I drop (you)’. I feel this is not the way, and I demand that he should tender an apology. How can I work with somebody who has threatened me?”

Kharpuri, who is also the president of the Nongskhen Zonal Committee of the PDF, announced that she would support the signature campaign to ensure that a special session is convened at the earliest to discuss the issue in the House.