SHILLONG, AUG 27: Two Congress legislators – MM Danggo and Ronnie V Lyngdoh- were sworn in as new cabinet ministers of the Mukul led coalition Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA-II) government at the Raj Bhavan on Friday forenoon.
Governor V Shanmuganathan administered oath of office to Danggo, a former state assembly Speaker and Lyngdoh, who is the former government chief whip at the swearing ceremony held in presence of chief minister Mukul Sangma, his cabinet ministers and others.
Sangma, who faced serious rebellion within the Congress party in past three and half years, for the first time decided to induct two new faces into the cabinet while showing the door to two senior ministers.
Veteran Congress legislator and deputy chief minister Rowell Lyngdoh and health minister AL Hek formally were dropped to make way for the cabinet reshuffle.
Interestingly, Rowell and Hek were not seen during the swearing in ceremony of the two ministers.
Speaking to reporters, the new cabinet ministers informed that they are anxiously waiting for the allotment of portfolios before spelling out their priorities.
Danggo, who claimed that he never lobbied for any cabinet berth said, “I was minister before also and now I have become again, there is no difference.”
When asked whether the exercise of reshuffling would end the campaign for change of leadership in the state, the new minister while denying that they were dissident legislator in the party, said, “I am not into change of leadership because that is not my agenda.”
On the grievances pertaining to bad road connectivity within his constituency, he said, “It will be my duty to work responsibly and try to improve the delivery system because I am not only going to be minister for only my constituency but for the entire state.”
On the other hand, Lyngdoh, however, clarified that the grievances expressed by them have been misinterpreted.
“If we expressed our views and if that is being termed as dissidence then there will no longer democracy,” he said while clearing the air that there have never been any differences within the party but only certain areas which they wanted immediate redressal.
Lyngdoh, however, admitted that one year as minister may not be enough but it will all depend on an individual on how to take one’s work.-By Our Reporter
mukul has to face other dissident in near future.