Lyngdoh allies get plum posts

SHILLONG, MARCH 17: The coalition partners of the United Democratic Party UDP in the United Parliamentary Forum UPF Government found the...

SHILLONG, MARCH 17: The coalition partners of the United Democratic Party UDP in the United Parliamentary Forum UPF Government found themselves suitably rewarded, with prized portfolios distributed by Chief Minister B B Lyngdoh yesterday.

Lyngdoh rewarded both Independent and HSPDP legislators by awarding them plum portfolios for having helped him form a UDP-led coalition Government, now called the UPF. Independent legislator Augustine Marak, who is a first-time Minister and had the post of Deputy Chairman in the outgoing S C Marak ministry has been given the coveted Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs portfolio.

F A Khunglang, another Independent, has retained his Health and Family Welfare portfolio but has got an added bonus in the Excise Department. The third Independent legislator, Punshai Manik Syiem, has also been kept in good humour by Lyngdoh as he has been given the Public Health Engineering portfolio besides Soil Conservation. The last Independent legislator, A T Mandal, got thelow-profile portfolio of assisting Minister in-charge, Planning, apart from independent charge of Weights and Measures.

Considering that he is a first-time legislator, Mandal is quite happy being Minister of State. The three HSPDP legislators also got what they wanted. While their leader H S Lyngdoh was given Forests and Environment and District Council Affairs, his colleague Tuberline Lyngdoh Nonglait got what every Minister hankers after 8212; the PWD 8212; while Mesalin War got Community and Rural Development.

Perhaps secure in the thought that the three BJP legislators will not defect to the Congress camp, Lyngdoh has allocated Science and Technology, Programme Implementation and Information and Public Relations to Cabinet Minister T H Rangad while the two Ministers of State, A L Hek and N N Simchang, are to assist the Minister in charge of Primary Education.

The former will also have independent charge of Sericulture while the latter will minister Forests and Environment, with independent charge of Artsand Culture.