SHILLONG, March 12 � With the Congress-led government already having a peculiar arrangement of a Chief Minister and three others enjoying the same rank as him, a former Union minister has now been given the status of a Cabinet minister.
�The Government of Meghalaya has appointed PR Kyndiah, ex-Union minister, as chairman of the Infrastructure Development Committee with the rank and status of a Cabinet minister in category A,� an official statement issued last night said.
Former Union Tribal Affairs Minister Kyndiah was denied a ticket during the last Lok Sabha elections from the Shillong constituency. Fresh entrant Vincent Pala retained the seat for the Congress and was made the Union Minister of State for Water Resources.
Earlier on January 28, State Congress president Friday Lyngdoh was given the rank and status of Chief Minister.
State Planning Board chairman Donkupar Roy and Meghalaya Economic Development Council chairman JD Rymbai, both United Democratic Party leaders, have been enjoying the same status since the DD Lapang government assumed office in May 2009.
A number of politicians, some of whom were unsuccessful in the 2008 assembly election and a few loyalists have been appointed chairmen and co-chairmen of boards, corporations and committees by Lapang. � PTI
