Can't demote former CMs: Meghalaya FM -Governance Now

Can't demote former CMs: Meghalaya FM

Finance Minister of Meghalaya justifies elevation of three MLAs to the "rank and status of chief minister"

PTI | February 4, 2010

Amid a row over the elevation of three MLAs of the ruling Congress-led alliance to the rank of chief minister, Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Mukul Sangma 0oday asserted that a legislator who was a chief minister in the past cannot be "demoted".

"It is not proper for any political arrangement where an MLA who was a former chief minister is demoted. This has been a tradition in Meghalaya," Sangma, also in charge of finance department, told reporters.

He said one must understand the "political management" that is required to be resorted to in a coalition government.

"We have MLAs, who happen to be former chief ministers.

So long as they are MLAs, it is befitting for us to recognize and acknowledge their services and give them the status of chief minister," Sangma said.

After the elevation of the rank and status of Meghalaya Congress president Friday Lyngdoh to the rank and status of chief minister, there are four political leaders in the ruling Congress-led alliance to enjoy that status.

Two leaders of United Democratic Party (UDP), which is the main partner in the alliance, also enjoys the same status --State Planning Board Chairman Donkupar Roy and Meghalaya Economic Development Council chairman JD Rymbai.

Former chief minister Roy is the president of the UDP, while Rymbai was also a Congress chief minister before he was removed by the Congress high command after a nine month stint after a rebellion in the party.

Sangma, however, maintained that there was only one constitutional chief minister. "The status have been given to the two former chief ministers as well as Friday who happens to be a senior leader. It makes them effective in discharging their duties," he said.

On the financial implication, he said the perks and facilities of a chief minister and other cabinet ministers is same.

"Only in the salary component, there is a difference of Rs 500. A cabinet minister gets Rs 19,500, while a chief minister Rs 20,000," the finance minister said.

Comments

Other News

‘Oral cancer deaths in India cause productivity loss of 0.18% GDP’

A first-of-its-kind study on the economic loss due to premature death from oral cancer in India by the Tata Memorial Centre has found that this form of cancer has a premature mortality rate of 75.6% (34 premature events / 45 total events) resulting in productivity loss of approximately $5.6 billion in 2022

Days of Reading: Upendra Baxi recalls works that shaped his youth

Of Law and Life Upendra Baxi in Conversation with Arvind Narrain, Lawrence Liang, Sitharamam Kakarala, and Sruti Chaganti Orient BlackSwan, Rs 2,310

Voting by tribal communities blossoms as ECI’s efforts bear fruit

The efforts made by the Election Commission of India (ECI), over last two years, for inclusion of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) communities and other tribal groups in the electoral process have borne fruit with scenes of tribal groups in various states/UTs participating enthusiastically in t

GST revenue for April 2024 at a new high

The gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections hit a record high in April 2024 at ₹2.10 lakh crore. This represents a significant 12.4% year-on-year growth, driven by a strong increase in domestic transactions (up 13.4%) and imports (up 8.3%). After accounting for refunds, the net GST

First Magahi novel presents a glimpse of Bihar bureaucracy a century ago

Fool Bahadur By Jayanath Pati (Translated by Abhay K.) Penguin Modern Classics, 112 pages, Rs 250 “Bab

Are EVs empowering India`s Green Transition?

Against the backdrop of the $3.5 billion Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme launched by the Government of India, sales of Electric Vehicles (EVs) are expected to grow at a CAGR of 35% by 2032. It is crucial to take into account the fact that 86% of EV sales in India were under the price bracket of $2