Meghalaya Chief Minister J.D. Rymbai today inducted nine more ministers into his Cabinet. Governor S.S. Singh administered the oath of office and secrecy to the ministers in a simple ceremony at Raj Bhavan late in the evening.Robert G. Lyngdoh, who was dropped by ousted chief minister D.D. Lapang during the Cabinet downsizing two years back, has bounced back as minister. Lyngdoh, who was home minister in the Lapang’s government, was not included in the pruned Lapang Cabinet despite being a hot favourite. As home minister, Lyngdoh was very effective and the law and order scenario and militants’ activities were widely curbed during his tenure. As his popularity had soared, everybody expected him to be included in the pruned Lapang Cabinet.Lapang apparently dropped him as Lyngdoh was then being projected as a potential chief minister. After he was dropped, dissidents’ activities within the Congress party intensified and ultimately led to Lapang’s replacement with Rymbai.Only two ministers, Shitlang Pale and Brening Sangma, from the Lapang Cabinet have been included in the expanded ministry. Senior Congress ministers in Lapang’s government like deputy chief minister Deborah Marak, home minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh, health minister Sayedullah Nongrum, Urban Affairs minister Friday Lyngdoh and community and rural development minister Zenith Sangma have been left out.Irin Lyngdoh is the only woman minister in the 12-member Cabinet. In Lapang’s Cabinet, Congress legislator Deborah Marak was the only woman representative, who was later elevated to the rank of deputy chief minister. Marak also became the only woman to have ever been elevated to the post.In Lapang’s Cabinet, its regional party allies United Democratic Party (UDP) had two ministers. However, Rymbai has retained only Donkupar Roy and excluded agriculture minister Kyrmen Susngi. In Susngi’s place, he has inducted Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) president Paul Lyngdoh.
