Shillong, 30 September (IANS) of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad. Sangma said on Tuesday that all the four National People’s Party (NPP) MLAs removed from the State Cabinet earlier this month were already informed about the decision, the allegations were dismissed that they were inadvertently caught.
Responding to the comments of former Health Minister Emperan Lyngdoh, who claimed that he came to know about the removal during an event in New Delhi, the Chief Minister clarified that the official communication was done before the reshuffle.
Sangma said that on September 12, around 8 pm, letters were sent to each of the four ministers concerned, their decision to leave them from the cabinet. He said, “Letters were sent and all of them received it. I hope when they receive a letter from the Chief Minister, they go through it. There is no question of not informing them because the communication was formally shared,” he said.
The Chief Minister also suggested that the cabinet reshuffle sidelined experienced and competent leaders. He said that experience was not the only criteria for cabinet composition, and that the major purpose was to balance various factors, including regional aspirations, seniority and youth representation.
“My cabinet is a balanced team. It has a mixture of senior leaders who have been in public life for decades, as well as young members who bring fresh energy. Experience and commitment to the people of the state are equally important,” Sangma explained. He further stated that the need to adjust the demands from various districts required a reshuffle.
He said, “There were strong aspirations from areas such as Ri Bhoi, North Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills. As Chief Minister, I had to take into account these feelings while restructuring the cabinet,” he said.
Sangma emphasized that such exercises were part of political responsibility and governance, and reiterated that the process was done transparently and according to the established process.
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TDR/UK