8 Meghalaya Ministers Resign Ahead Of Cabinet Reshuffle

Ahead of a reshuffle in the Meghalaya cabinet to be held later on Tuesday, eight of the total 12 ministers, including senior leaders AL Hek, Paul Lyngdoh, and Ampareen Lyngdoh, have resigned from their posts, officials said.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who heads the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, met Governor C H Vijayashankar at Raj Bhavan here and submitted the resignations of the ministers, they said.

The new entrants in the cabinet are scheduled to be sworn in as ministers at Raj Bhavan at 5 pm on Tuesday, one of the officials said.

"Eight ministers, who have resigned from their posts, are Ampareen Lyngdoh, Comingone Ymbon, Rakkam A Sangma and Abu Taher Mondal of the NPP, Paul Lyngdoh and Kyrmen Shylla of the UDP, Shakliar Warjri of the HSPDP and AL Hek of the BJP," another official said.

According to the rule, Meghalaya, with a 60-member assembly, cannot have more than 12 ministers, including the CM.

Ampareen Lyngdoh was in charge of the agriculture and law, while Ymbon and Rakkam A Sangma looked after cooperation and education, respectively.

Mondal was the power minister, Paul Lyngdoh was in charge of tourism, and Kyrmen Shylla had the portfolio of revenue and disaster management.

Shakliar Warjri was in charge of the sports and AL Hek of animal husbandry.

The resignation of these ministers paved the way for the induction of new ministers in the cabinet, the officials said.

National People's Party (NPP) legislators Wailadmiki Shylla, Sosthenes Sohtun, Brening A Sangma and Timothy D Shira are set to join the cabinet, party sources said.

United Democratic Party (UDP) chief Metbah Lyngdoh and former minister Lahkmen Rymbui are likely to be sworn in, they said.

Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) legislator Methodius Dkhar is set to replace Shakliar Warjri in the cabinet, while Sanbor Shullai of the BJP will replace AL Hek, the sources added.  

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