SHILLONG, Feb 15 - Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma may just have avoided a crisis by removing his elder brother, James Sangma, as the State Home Minister, but he is likely to face another challenge regarding his Cabinet soon.
For some time now, one of the two BJP legislators, Sanbor Shullai, has been demanding a Cabinet berth in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance Government (MDA). The BJP is an ally in the MDA.
It may be mentioned here the other BJP legislator, AL Hek, is the Health Minister of the State. Hek was a Cabinet minister in the previous Government too, when he was a Congress MLA.
Shullai has never been a Cabinet minister though he has won the South Shillong seat for the past five terms. He was also a member of the district council and had won the Laban seat for five consecutive terms.
According to Shullai, there is an understanding with the central BJP leadership that after Hek completes half the term of the present Government, he (Shullai) would be given the opportunity to replace him.
The present Government, formed on March 6, 2018, will complete half its term on September 6 this year and Shullai wants to be in the Cabinet at that point of time.
Shullai claimed that discussions regarding the terms of seat sharing were held with the central party leaders, and that he would prefer mutual understanding and respect on the subject.
According to Shullai, honouring such a pact would strengthen the party and pave the way for more leaders to join the BJP. Shullai stated that he wants the matter to be settled �amicably rather than by creating an environment of mistrust and out-of-proportion differences�.
Hek, on the other hand, claimed that he has no knowledge of such a pact on seat sharing, and that no such discussion was held. Therefore, he is in no mood to relinquish his post.
Although the issue concerns the BJP, but the Chief Minister who shares good rapport with the central BJP leadership will have to step in sooner than later before the matter gets out of hand.
The present MDA faces no threat as it enjoys a comfortable majority in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly with 39 MLAs in a rainbow coalition.
Despite the majority, Sangma will be well aware that a single legislator moving out can impact the MDA Government, as regional party politics in Meghalaya has a history of been temperamental.
